Twinblade Assassins

Creature — Elf Assassin

At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died this turn (was put into the graveyard from the battlefield, tokens enter the graveyard before ceasing to exist), draw a card.

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
Pioneer	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (7)

Guerric on Help Building my First Competitive …

2 years ago

Hi ionlyplayelves!

I can definitely see removing Casualties of War. It is devastating in the right context, but it does cost six mana, and while you'll have much more than most, it sometimes better just to play more mana efficient single-target removal spells like Beast Within, Go for the Throat, Hero's Downfall, etc.

I actually like Gnarlroot Trapper because it's another dork. I think if you build this right you'll have a lot of lifegain and the one won't bother you too much, and of course the deathtouch is a nice bonus.

I think Pact of the Serpent is a great card. You could potentially draw a crazy amount of cards with it, but for three mana it will be great even if you get only three to five.

I hear the argument on Twinblade Assassins. Five mana is a lot for something that will only draw you one extra card on each of your turns, provided that something dies. This is on top of the fact that creatures are the easiest permanent type to kill. Phyrexian Arena would give you the card automatically. Dark Prophecy would give you one any time one of your creatures dies. Grim Haruspex will give you one any time a non-token creature dies. Beast Whisperer gives you one whenever an elf ETBs. These are all very good rates, unlike Assassin. You need to have 10-12 pieces of card draw in the deck, but this is a suboptimal one. I also think if you get this going right you'll have a lot of things dying, and Miara, Thorn of the Glade will be a powerhouse. Moldervine Reclamation is similar. Last week my friend who play's Lathril had something like twenty-five elves on the battlefield (which is easy to do when you play Lathril right!) I had to board wipe him to keep us alive, but he drew a quarter of his deck and gained 25 life. Needless to say, it was a temporary reprieve at best! It's a good card.

You definitely want Farhaven Elf, Springbloom Druid, and Wood Elves in any elf deck in commander- they are the best there is. Fetching your lands and ramping them onto the battlefield while leaving a body behind that can attack and block and be anthemed by your lords is really great.

Binding the Old Gods is kind of meh. I think your instinct is correct there! It costs 4 mana and is slow and grindy for what it does. Sure, we need to kill stuff and ramp lands, but when we kill stuff we'd rather just use Doom Blade for 2cmc.

Cultivator of Blades isn't essential, but it's very easy to underrate. At minimum it gives all of your elves +3/+3 when you attack till end of turn. If Elvish Archdruid is out its +4/+4. If you tap Timberwatch Elf to dump ten counters on it and then immediately attack, your opponents are going to die that turn. The best part is that they'll never see it coming the first time you do it!

ionlyplayelves on Help Building my First Competitive …

2 years ago

Thanks Guerric, I've gone through the deck again and found some additional cards I'm thinking of removing in favor of more efficient ones or just to make some more room for the cards you recommended.

What are your thoughts on removing these as well?

Casualties of War - "expensive" but provides removal Gnarlroot Trapper - with all the dorks I have in nthe deck, I don't like that I have to pay 1 life to add mana but the deathtouch ability is nice I just don't attack often as I like to use the elves and tokens to deal direct damage with abilities or the new sac tactic im trying to do Pact of the Serpent - is this a good card? It's low cost but I'm not sure if others play themed decks as I do with elves so I'm not sure of its efficiency for its slot. Cultivator of Blades - I don't attack often so I'm not sure how usable this is Farhaven Elf - 2 for 1 land for its ability but given that I have so many dorks I'm looking at, is it worth the slot? Springbloom Druid 2 for 1 land creature and shuffles. Same concern as above. Wood Elves - Same cost as the previous 2 but only brings in one land. Twinblade Assassins - I don't see my creatures dying enough other than the sacrificing to justify this, but maybe I'm wrong. Thoughts? Miara, Thorn of the Glade - Paying 1 mana and 1 life seems expensive to draw a card. Binding the Old Gods - I like this saga but wanted to get your feedback on it. Should it be taking up a slot? Moldervine Reclamation - Again, don't see my creatures dying other than the sacrificing but it sounds like a great card for that. Is it worth the slot?

Thanks!

Guerric on Lathril's Relentless Elves

2 years ago

As for things to cut, here is my list-

Cards to definitely cut- 1) Abomination of Llanowar he's just a big, dumb of elf with a target on his back for removal. There are better options. At least Drove of Elves has hexproof, but I wouldn't even play that. The only one I'd play is Jagged-Scar Archers, and that's because of its utility against flyers.

2) Elvish Rejuvenator He gets a land, but doesn't actually ramp you. And that is if you get a land- you might whiff. You have better options. If you really want this effect Sylvan Ranger costs one less mana and is guaranteed to not whiff.

3) Eyeblight Cullers 5cmc is just too much for something that only gives you three tokens on its death, and you have no mill synergy.

4) Golgari Findbroker This card was made for draft. It just costs too much for what it does. Its not just the four cmc, 2 {G} and 2 {B} is a high opportunity casting cost.

5) Harald, King of Skemfar He's basically a 3/2 with menace that replaces himself. The clause on Tyvar might seem good if you add him (which is good idea, btw- he'll be worth it even if he doesn't stick around too long), but even then you have to remember that he won't find Tyvar the majority of the time. Again, its nice he replaces himself and gives you some selection, but there are better options.

6) Jaspera Sentinel Dorks are great, but you have to tap two creatures for one mana, which is a bad rate in elves. There are better dorks suggested above.

7) Masked Admirers This is one of those cards that Wizards stuffs into every precon conceivable, even though its bad in most of them. We don't need it here.

8) Thornbow Archer He's only draining one life for each time he attacks. That isn't enough to justify his slot.

9) Voice of Many You get maybe three cards for four mana at most? He's not the worst and he does draw cards, but I've never liked him.

10) Voice of the Woods This might sound like a good use of your elves, but its better to pump your elves than to use them to summon elementals. Plus he costs five to cast.

11) Tergrid's Shadow We have a joke about this card in our playgroup, but in general it isn't what we want. Letting your opponents pick what they sacrifice means you'll rarely hit the thing you need to get rid of. You might as well just play Doom Blade or any other premium removal card in these colors. There are a lot!

12) Poison the Cup They just put this in the precon because foretell was a Kaldheim theme, but there are so many cheap (both in real world and mana cost) black removal cards that this one shouldn't make the cut.

13) Roots of Wisdom You're better off just playing Harmonize or getting one of the consistent draw pieces I suggested. This card won't do a lot for the slot in your deck.

14) Return Upon the Tide This just costs too much mana, and you have other better recursion pieces out there.

Cards to think about removing

1) Serpent's Soul-Jar This card could be good, but could also be a trap. Your graveyard is a resource, and exiling everything from it prevents mass recursion. Also, your opponents can target this with removal and you'll never get your stuff back. I'd probably just play Haunting Voyage, Patriarch's Bidding, and Living Death to get your goodies back for more fun!

2) Twinblade Assassins He does draw cards, and is probably at least as good as Phyrexian Arena while he lives. So you might keep him, but he costs 5cmc, so if you have enough card draw you might want to cut him.

3) Numa, Joraga Chieftain He can pump your stuff. But Kindred Summons, Genesis Wave, or the above mentioned Torment of Hailfire and Exsanguinate are much better ones!

4) Nullmage Shepherd This can allow us to remove problematic stuff. But tapping four elves is a bigger cost than we often want to pay. Something to think on.

5) Sylvan Messenger Again, this card does get us some draw, much like Lead the Stampede which I used to play does. I've just never found it good enough to include though. Nonetheless, you want at least ten pieces of draw, and this does count as that!

6) Eyeblight Massacre This will kill a lot of stuff, but will often leave what you most need to kill alive. Ezuri's Predation is a recently reprinted board wipe that is now more affordable and will wreck your opponents while leaving your stuff intact. In Garruk's Wake and Plague Wind cost a 25 cents each and will hose everyone but you, and because you are playing elves you can afford their cmc!

7) Ruthless Winnower Having played against this card I can attest that it is annoying, but your opponents will often kill it before it can have too much impact. If it were a lower cmc it would be a guaranteed in, at least it will take the heat off of more important cards. It is high at 5cmc though. Keeping it might be the right choice, but I'd at least consider it.

solterranean on Lathril Casually Competitive

2 years ago

If you're looking to speed the deck up, I'd consider adding: Elves of Deep Shadow, Birds of Paradise, Wild Growth, Utopia Sprawl, Boreal Druid, Elvish Pioneer and the all-mighty Deathrite Shaman. For those, I'd look at cutting: Kodama's Reach, Rampant Growth, Elfhame Druid, Farhaven Elf, Jaspera Sentinel, Llanowar Visionary, and Springbloom Druid. Selvala, Heart of the Wilds is an amazing card, just not sure if it belongs here, maybe replace it with Elvish Guidance. There's also always Heritage Druid,

And hey, if you've got a Gaea's Cradle, Crop Rotation is a must (and its slower cousin, Sylvan Scrying, which also makes Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx a good add. More ($$$$) lands to consider would be: Cavern of Souls and Yavimaya Hollow. Other utility lands you might want to check out would be: Emergence Zone, Nurturing Peatland, Castle Garenbrig, and Wirewood Lodge.

If you've got the funds and are looking to get those last few % points in your ramp package, take a look at: Carpet of Flowers and Jeweled Lotus.

For card advantage, yeah I agree that Glimpse of Nature and Oakhame Adversary are good options, along with Sylvan Library, Necropotence, and Dark Confidant if you've got the $$ and looking to get as close to 100% as possible. Regal Force is a non-elf that's essential in elf decks. Some other options would be: Pact of the Serpent and Elvish Visionary. In terms of tutors, definitely consider: Chord of Calling, Eldritch Evolution, and maybe even Woodland Bellower and Fauna Shaman. Decks closer to CEDH would probably include: Vampiric Tutor, Diabolic Intent, and Survival of the Fittest. Also, Eternal Witness might be too good to not include, along with Noxious Revival. Patriarch's Bidding is a cheaper Haunting Voyage.

Card advantage cards you could consider cutting would be: Twinblade Assassins and Silhana Wayfinder.

In terms of removal, I think you'd want: Assassin's Trophy, Abrupt Decay, Nature's Claim and/or Force of Vigor, and Deadly Rollick. I also like Golgari Charm in more casual metas.

For elf synergy, along with Elvish Champion, I'd take a look at: Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Immaculate Magistrate

For utility, consider: Autumn's Veil, Veil of Summer, Vitalize, and the non-elves Scryb Ranger and Temur Sabertooth. Concordant Crossroads seems really good with Lathril too.

Hope this helps! Happy brewing

Scytec on Lathril

2 years ago

Ok, to be honest there are only four cards I would remove without being too concerned here: Grizzled Outrider, Sarulf's Packmate, Snarespinner, and Pride of the Perfect. They aren't all bad, they just aren't as good as your other options essentially. When I broke it down, you have a pretty fair amount of each archetype I look for. Not including the four I mentioned above, you have 16 "Ramp" spells, 12 "Interaction" spells, 10 "Draw" spells, and 19 "Raw Value" spells. Not all of these are as efficient as you may want, but each are what I would consider acceptable for sure. One thing I would recommend is looking for additional means of recurring draw, or large draw spells. More cards like Beast Whisperer and Pact of the Serpent. I would also be wary of cards that draw for a death trigger like Twinblade Assassins and Miara, Thorn of the Glade. They are good recurring draw spells, but you really only run one sacrifice outlet with Pyre of Heroes, so you will be relying on your opponents to kill your things for you which isn't ideal. They are still solid options unless you find another card similar to Beast Whisperer which triggers on casting a creature spell. Any time you have a consistent means to keep your hand full is a great time given how many spells you want to be casting each turn and how much mana you will have access to at any given time. I would honestly look at increasing your draw capabilities so you dont empty your hand and just have to sit there playing whatever you draw each turn. Effects like Mind's Eye are good, but slightly worse for you because it isnt also on an elf, so you wont get full value like you will with something like Beast Whisperer. I wrote all the cards down on a sheet of paper to do this, I will throw it in my carrying case so I can give it to you either friday or if i see you before, then. From my earlier recommendations, based on where your deck is currently, I would drop Elves of Deep Shadow and Harvest Season. Both are good cards, but you have plenty of ramp, and most of it is also on an elf which makes it better for you in this list. Tutors (anything that allows you to search your library for a specific card) inherently make a deck more powerful, because you can fetch whatever you need at any given time, so the more of those you include, especially the ones already on elven bodies the more consistently you will hit the cards you really want to see every game. Prime examples would be Elvish Archdruid, Ezuri, Renegade Leader when you get him, and Ruthless Winnower would be the ones that pop up in my mind as amazing cards pretty much every game. Realmwalker would be a really good spell that would fall under the "draw" category because it essentially lets you use the top card of your library as if it were in your hand whenever that card is an elf. I still like Copperhorn Scout and Seedborn Muse here, especially if you do decide to pick up Yeva, Nature's Herald. You dont run many instants, but scout would let you tap down your elves for Lathril's ability your first main phase, you can go to combat swing scout, then untap all your elves and just do it again. Assuming you just do that twice, you drain each opponent for 20 life and gain 20 life yourself. With Seedborn Muse, you can do it at the end of each of your opponents turns, in one rotation of the board, you can drain 30 life and gain 30 life. With Yeva, Nature's Herald you would be able to utilize your land on each opponents turn to cast any green creature spells currently in your hand in addition to tapping them all with Lathril and dealing damage. The synergies that are possible in this deck are somewhat terrifying if I am being honest. Haha. There may come a time when you have to decide if you want to dedicate to combat or tapping with Lathril to really focus the deck down and get it to that next level, but honestly you could make this deck very scary without having to do that. Elves are so good that you can make this at least a 7 on my power scale with a little work (and unfortunately money, elves are a really powerful tribe, and they are popular enough that the good cards for them reflect that in their price). For reference, that is as strong as my Meren of Clan Nel Toth deck and I have spent literal years tuning that one, it is my strongest deck with the exception of my competitive list i built. Haha. Elves are good man.

DakAttack1992 on Lathril, Blade of the Elves

2 years ago

I just wanted to point out, unfortunately you can't use Rhys the Redeemed because of the hybrid mana symbol. Your commander would need white in it's color identity. If you need a replacement for now, I would add back in one of the cards that lets you put an Elf Warrior token into play for each Elf you control. Honestly, I'd put both back in. Elvish Promenade Elven Ambush .

Joraga Warcaller Ezuri, Renegade Leader Alpha Status are some cards to consider as well.

As far as cuts, I would go with Pride of the Perfect End-Raze Forerunners Elven Bow Tergrid's Shadow Cultivator of Blades Voice of the Woods Twinblade Assassins You can easily replace Elvish Rejuvenator with Wood Elves or Farhaven Elf

You have some crazy good lands already, so I don't know if budget is an issue, so I will suggest the fetch lands and an Overgrown Tomb . Gaea's Cradle if you're doing okay financially.

I have only recently built myself a Lathril deck. Good luck with this! It's really fun to play.

Shabompistan on Monster Hunter: Chevill

3 years 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.