I Ghave Until It Hurts (Commander / EDH MTG Deck)

I Ghave Until It Hurts

Commander / EDH BGW (Abzan, Junk) Budget Casual Counters Tokens

TheMadRocketeer

Enchantment (19)

Artifact (11)

Creature (19)

Sorcery (8)

Commander (1)

Land (36)

Instant (6)

Sideboard

Artifact (7)

Enchantment (2)

Instant (1)

1x Faith's Reward

Sorcery (1)

1x Merciless Eviction

Creature (2)

Land (1)

1x Bojuka Bog

Maybeboard

Creature (19)

Enchantment (13)

Artifact (6)

Sorcery (11)

Instant (12)

Note: I just updated the deck, so the Categories and Cards & Potential Changes sections are currently out of synch with the new deck list.

Theme and Goals

Overview:
My first self-constructed Commander deck. This is a kitchen table deck based on the cards I have and ones I could find locally for a moderate price. The commanding general is Ghave, Guru of Spores. This guy is the guru of flexibility, so I had to build at least one EDH deck featuring him, and I may try multiple variations / themes before I'm done.

Deck Plan:
This deck's plan is to use cards operating on the following themes in order to grow threats and overwhelm the opponent.

Creating token creatures

Creating +1/+1 counters

Benefiting from creatures being sacrificed (or otherwise dying) or leaving/entering the battlefield

Categories and Cards

--> Set the pull-down menu above the deck list to Custom Categories to see the cards sorted by role. Clear the pull-down or set it to Type to restore the regular view.

The Key Cards

This list is debatable and may not be complete. There are just so many things that go well with this commander.

Ghave, Guru of Spores - The commander. Turns creatures into +1/+1 counters and vice versa. Sacrifice outlet. Combos with everything

Ashnod's Altar - Turns saprolings into mana. Sacrifice outlet.

Champion of Lambholt - Very good at getting your creatures through the opponent's line.

Corpsejack Menace and Hardened Scales - Increase added counters.

Cathars' Crusade and Ivy Lane Denizen - Make a lot of +1/+1 counters.

Deathreap Ritual and Fecundity - Can generate a lot of draw.

Skullclamp - Crazy-good draw. Turns 1/1 saprolings into two cards apiece.

Token Creature Generators

Ghave, Guru of Spores - Commander.

Ant Queen - Backup source of repeatable token creature generation

Fresh Meat - One-shot. Can help against sweepers or to enable rapid expansion.

Gutter Grime

Ogre Slumlord

+1/+1 Counter Generators

Ghave, Guru of Spores - Commander.

Bloodflow Connoisseur, Champion of Lambholt, and Enduring Scalelord - Grow.

Butcher Ghoul and Young Wolf - Undying.

Corpsejack Menace and Hardened Scales - Increase added counters.

Cathars' Crusade and Ivy Lane Denizen - Make a lot of +1/+1 counters.

Gleam of Authority - Bolsters. Also makes something huge quickly.

Benefit From Sacrifices / Dying

Blood Bairn, Bloodflow Connoisseur, Bloodthrone Vampire, Nantuko Husk and Ob Nixilis, Unshackled - Gain counters or one-turn buffs.

Butcher of Malakir, Dictate of Erebos, Reaper from the Abyss, and Tragic Slip - Great creature removal. The Butcher is expensive, though.

Faith's Reward - Recursion. Protection from board wipes.

Fecundity and Jar of Eyeballs - Draw.

Fresh Meat, Gutter Grime, and Ogre Slumlord - Make token creatures.

Zulaport Cutthroat - Life drain / gain

Sacrifice Outlets

Ghave, Guru of Spores Commander

Altar of Bone, Altar's Reap, and Bone Splinters One-shot

Ashnod's Altar

Blood Bairn, Bloodflow Connoisseur, and Bloodthrone Vampire

Dark Privilege

Draw / Card Filtering / Tutoring

Altar of Bone - One-shot creature tutoring

Altar's Reap - One-shot draw

Cultivate - One-shot land search.

Deathreap Ritual, Fecundity, Jar of Eyeballs, Snake Umbra, and Underworld Connections - Draw

Genesis Hydra - One-shot creature filtering

Nihil Spellbomb - One-shot pay to draw

Skullclamp - Crazy-good draw. Also a sacrifice outlet for saprolings.

Ramp / Color Fixing / Mana Sources

Removal

Bone Splinters, Disenchant, Naturalize, Plummet, and Reaper from the Abyss - Destroy-Based.

Tragic Slip - Debuff-Based.

Butcher of Malakir and Dictate of Erebos - Sacrifice-Based.

Swords to Plowshares - Exile-Based.

Arrest and Suppression Bonds - Lockdown-Based. Useful against commanders.

Protection

Recursion

Elixir of Immortality and Feldon's Cane - Lets us recycle the library.

Noxious Revival

Sideboard

Sideboard:

Arena of the Ancients and Pithing Needle - Lockdown-Based Removal. Useful against commanders. My commander doesn't usually care much about Arena.

Bojuka Bog, Nihil Spellbomb, Relic of Progenitus, and Tormod's Crypt - Exile-Based Graveyard Removal

Faith's Reward - Recursion. Protection from board wipes.

Hornet Queen - One-shot and expensive, but five deathtouch fliers are nice.

Kill Switch - Artifact Lockdown.

Merciless Eviction - Exile-Based Removal

Scuttling Doom Engine - Deals direct damage when it dies.

Tainted Remedy - Anti-Life-Gain

Candidates to Swap Out for Sideboard Cards:

Butcher Ghoul and Young Wolf

Ogre Slumlord

Reaper from the Abyss

Overrun

Potential Changes

This deck would probably be improved if I:

Add more land.

Add ramp.

Swap out some mana artifacts in favor of land enchantments. (See Maybe list.) Trade out some lands for more Forests to support the change.

Include more lockdown-based removal in the mainboard.

Swap out the 6 and 7 CMC cards for something cheaper (or land or ramp).

Swap out the two undying creatures for something else, and save them for a different build that is more centered around them.

Swap out some of the removal cards for white exile-based removal.

Card Choices Under Consideration

Ramp/Acceleration

Ramp and Color-Fixing Options:

Ashnod's Altar - 3, Key Card. Keeper.

Frontier Siege - 3G, Awesome. Keeper.

Cultivate - 2G, Tutors 1 basic land to field and 1 to hand. Keeper.

Journey of Discovery - 2G, Tutors 2 basic lands to hand. Keeper.

Fertile Ground - 1G, +1 any color

Market Festival - 3G, +2 any color

Sheltered Aerie - 2G, 2 any one color

Urban Burgeoning - G, untaps on everyone's turn

Explorer's Scope - 1, When equipped attacks might get 1 land to battlefield (3.833)

Explosive Vegetation - 3G, Tutors 2 basic lands to field. (3.804)

Growth Spasm - 2G, Tutors 1 basic land to field, get one 0/1 token. (4.033)
---------- Will probably cut off here. ----------

Verdant Haven - 2G, +1 any color, gain 2 life

Abundant Growth - G, 1 any color, draw 1

Wild Growth - G, +1 green

Abzan Banner - 3, Gets W, B, or G, can draw 1

Fellwar Stone - 2, Gets 1 of opponents colors

Golgari Cluestone - 3, Gets B or G, can draw 1

Orzhov Cluestone - 3, Gets B or W, can draw 1

Renegade Map - 1, 1 basic to hand, comes in tapped

Fork in the Road - 1G, 1 basic to hand, 1 basic to graveyard

Bubbling Muck - B, Swamps get extra B this turn

Prophetic Prism - 2, Filters 1 mana. Draw 1.

Mana Prism - 3, Gets 1 colorless or filter 1 mana
---------- New things to consider. ----------

Harvest Season - 2G, Tutors X basic lands to battlefield = # my tapped creatures

Seek the Horizon - 3G, Tutors 3 basic lands to hand. (3.011)

Map the Wastes - 2G, Tutors 1 basic land to field, Bolster 1. (None)

Nature's Lore - 1G, Tutors 1 Forest to field untapped. (4.216)

Nissa's Pilgrimage - 2G, Tutor 1 Forest to field and 1 or 2 F to hand. (None)

Rampant Growth - 1G, Tutor 1 basic land to field. (4.075)

Farseek - 1G, Tutors 1 P, S, I, or M to field. (3.958)

Font of Fertility - G, (Act: 1G + sac) Tutors 1 basic land to field. (3.538)

Creatures

Champion of Lambholt - 2GG, Key Card. Keeper.

Corpsejack Menace - 2BG, Key Card. Keeper.

Ivy Lane Denizen - 3G, Key Card. Keeper.

Enduring Scalelord - 4GW, Gets +1/+1s when others do

Smothering Abomination - 2BB, Sac 1 per turn, on sac draw 1

Genesis Hydra - XGG, Finds and gets out creatures

Zulaport Cutthroat - 1B, When 1 dies, life drain / gain

Ninth Bridge Patrol - 1W, Gets +1/+1 when 1 leaves field

Bloodbriar - 2G, When sac 1, gets +1/+1 counter

Ob Nixilis, Unshackled - 4BB, Gets +1/+1 when 1 dies, F/T

Unruly Mob - 1W, Gets +1/+1 when 1 dies

Hanweir Militia Captain - 1W, Makes tokens

Young Wolf - G, Undying

Butcher Ghoul - 1B, Undying

Soul Warden - W, When 1 ETB, gets 1 life

Butcher of Malakir - 5BB, When 1 dies, each opp. sacs 1 (3.414)

Viscera Seer - B, Sac 1 to scry 1. (3.962)

Heroes' Bane - 3GG, Can double its +1/+1 counters each turn

Requiem Angel - 5W, When non-spirit dies place 1/1 Flying spirit on field, F

Grave Titan - 4BB, Makes tokens, DT (4.377)
---------- Will probably cut off here. ----------

Wolfbriar Elemental - 2GG, Multikicker G, Enters with X 2/2 tokens (4.143)

Frontline Medic - 2W, Makes my attacking creatures indestructible (4.028)

Hornet Queen - 4GGG, Makes tokens, DT (3.812)

Vastwood Hydra - XGG, Gets X +1/+1s, when dies save counters (3.598)

Ant Queen - 3GG, Makes tokens (4.097)

Reaper from the Abyss - 3BBB, At End if creature died destroy 1, F (3.891)

Bloodflow Connoisseur - 2B, Sac 1 for +1/+1 counter

Blood Bairn - 2B, Sac 1 for +2/+2 turn

Nantuko Husk - 2B, Sac 1 for +2/+2 turn

Bloodthrone Vampire - 1B, Sac 1 for +1/+1 turn

Vampire Nighthawk - 1BB, F/D/L

Gifted Aetherborn - BB, D/L

Korozda Gorgon - 3BG, Remove +1/+1 to give -1/-1 turn

Ogre Slumlord - 3BB, When another nontoken dies, get a 1/1 (3.621)
---------- New things to consider. ----------

Mycoloth - 3GG, Makes tokens (3.619)

Immaculate Magistrate - 3G, Gives +1/+1 counters (4.111)

Draw/Filter

Skullclamp - 1, When equipped dies draw 2

Fecundity - 2G, When 1 dies controller may draw 1

Smothering Abomination - 2BB, Sac 1 per turn, on sac draw 1

Jar of Eyeballs - 3, Filters library and draws 1

Deathreap Ritual - 2BG, At each End if 1 died draw 1

Genesis Hydra - XGG, One-shot, Filters creatures to field

Vampiric Rites - B, Sac 1 to gain 1 life and draw 1

Underworld Connections - 1BB, Pay 1 life to draw 1
---------- Will probably cut off here. ----------

Snake Umbra - 2G, When enchanted deals 1 draw 1

Altar's Reap - 1B, One-shot, Sac 1 to draw 2

Tutor

Altar of Bone - WB, One-shot, Sac 1 to tutor 1 Creature

Diabolic Tutor - 2BB, Tutor 1 to hand

Vampiric Tutor - B, Pay 2 life to tutor 1 to library
---------- Will probably cut off here. ----------

Sac Outlet

Ashnod's Altar - 3, Sac 1 to get 2 colorless mana

Smothering Abomination - 2BB, Sac 1 per turn, on sac draw 1

Vampiric Rites - B, Sac 1 to gain 1 life and draw 1

Altar of Bone - WB, One-shot, Sac 1 to tutor 1 Creature

Altar's Reap - 1B, One-shot, Sac 1 to draw 2

Viscera Seer - B, Sac 1 to scry 1. (3.962)
---------- Will probably cut off here. ----------

Bone Splinters - B, One-shot, Sac 1 to destroy 1

Bloodflow Connoisseur - 2B, Sac 1 for +1/+1 counter

Blood Bairn - 2B, Sac 1 for +2/+2 turn

Nantuko Husk - 2B, Sac 1 for +2/+2 turn

Bloodthrone Vampire - 1B, Sac 1 for +1/+1 turn

Dark Privilege - 1B, Protect, Sac 1 to regenerate enchanted creature

Honorable Mention - Not strictly sacrificing.

Skullclamp - 1, When equipped dies draw 2

Removal

Goal: Deal with opposing commander and other major synergies and threats.

Dictate of Erebos - 3BB, When my 1 dies each opp. sacs 1

Darksteel Mutation - 1W, Neuters creature

Faith's Fetters - 3W, Locks down nonland, Gets 4 life

Suppression Bonds - 3W, Enchanted nonland can't attack, block, or activate

Arrest - 2W, Enchanted cre can't attack block or act

Swords to Plowshares - W, Exile creature and give life = Power

Disenchant - 1W, Destroy artifact or enahantment

Naturalize - 1G, Destroy artifact or enchantment

Revoke Existence - 1W, Exile artifact or enchantment

Butcher of Malakir - 5BB, When 1 dies, each opp. sacs 1 (3.414)
---------- Will probably cut off here. ----------

Tragic Slip - B, -1/-1 for turn or -13/-13 if 1 died

Bone Splinters - B, Sac creature to destroy creature

Erase - W, Exile enchantment

Unmake - (W/B)(W/B)(W/B), Exile target creature.

Sudden Spoiling - 1BB, Split sec, For turn a player's cres are 0/2 w/o abilities

Plummet - 1G, Destroy flier

Reaper from the Abyss - 3BBB, At End if cre died destroy 1, F

Butcher of Malakir - 5BB, When 1 dies, each opponent sacs 1 (3.414)

Hero's Downfall - 1BB, Destroys creature or planeswalker

Devour in Shadow - BB, Destroy creature and lose life points

Harsh Sustenance - 1WB, Deals 1 and gains 1 life per cre

Korozda Gorgon - 3BG, Remove +1/+1 to give -1/-1 turn

Nevermore - 1WW, Prevents card from being cast

Other

Hardened Scales - G, Makes more +1/+1 counters

Cathars' Crusade - 3WW, Makes more +1/+1 counters

Gift of Immortality - 2W, Protect, Get back ench & this when dies

Whispersilk Cloak - 3, Protect, Unblockable and Shroud

Zulaport Cutthroat - 1B, When 1 dies, life drain / gain

Bow of Nylea - 1GG, Gives my attacking creatures DT, Multiple Utility

Spear of Heliod - 1WW, Gives my creatures +1/+1, Destroy creature that damaged me

Cauldron of Souls - 5, Protect, Tap to give creatures persist [Can double LTBs]

Sigil of the Empty Throne - 3WW, Creates tokens

Elixir of Immortality - 1, Recursion, Recycle graveyard & gain life

Overwhelming Stampede - 3GG, Gives army +X/+X and Trample, X is max P

Fresh Meat - 3G, Replaces turn's lost creatures with 3/3s

Gleam of Authority - 1w, Bolsters, Makes something huge

Library of Leng - 1, No max hand size, Control over discards

Harsh Sustenance - 1WB, Deals 1 and gains 1 life per creature
---------- Will probably cut off here. ----------

Rootborn Defenses - 2W, Makes my creatures indestructible for turn, Populate

Indestructibility - 3W, Protect, Makes enchanted indestructible

Overrun - 2GGG, Gives army +3/+3 and Trample

Prowler's Helm - 2, Mostly unblockable

Blind Obedience - 1W, Slows opponent, Extort

Ogre Slumlord - 3BB, When another nontoken dies, get a 1/1

Gutter Grime - 4G, When your nontoken dies, get token

Dark Privilege - 1B, Protect, Sac 1 to regen enchanted

Snake Umbra - 2G, Protect, When damages draw 1, Totem Armor

Noxious Revival - G, Recursion, Get 1 card back

Faith's Reward - 3W, Recursion, Put turn's lost cards on field

Feldon's Cane - 1, Recursion, Recycle graveyard

Tutorial

The following is an excellent tutorial that I ran across. It goes over a ton of stuff that Ghave can do (including extensive explanations and examples) and gives a great list showing how it can all come together with balance. My deck is more kitchen-table casual in nature, so I won't be buying stuff like Doubling Season, but this tutorial is well worth the read, and I highly recommend it.
deck:ghave-that-bitch-a-combo-3

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Updates Add

Changes (Version 1.2) — Oct. 1, 2018

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Changes (Version 1.2)

Added
1x Command Tower
1x Blood Artist

Removed
2x Canopy Vista
1x Bloodbriar

Update (Version 1.1) — June 14, 2018

Edit

Update (Version 1.0) — May 28, 2017

Edit

Next Pass Update (Version 0.7) — May 27, 2017

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First-Pass Update (Version 0.6) — May 4, 2017

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Original Unfinished List (Version 0.5) — May 3, 2017

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Spoiler Timeline

Card Odds v1 Draw hand

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Date added	7 years
Last updated	3 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	2 - 0 Mythic Rares 26 - 9 Rares 23 - 3 Uncommons 22 - 2 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.16
Tokens	Angel 4/4 W, Beast 3/3 G, Eldrazi Spawn 0/1 C, Human Cleric 1/1 BW, Insect 1/1 G w/ Flying, Deathtouch, Saproling 1/1 G, Spirit 1/1 W, Zombie 2/2 B
Folders	me, Ghave deck, edh
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Based on	Sacrifice - Undying TheMadRocketeer CAS
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