pie chart

Skithiryx's Spooky Scary Skeleton Scheme

Commander / EDH Bracket 1 Casual Infect Mono-Black Regenerate Skeleton Theme/Gimmick Voltron

lil_cheez

Upvote 0
0

Land (37)

Ramp (8)

Spot Removal (6)

Tutor (2)

Anthems and Kindred (11)

Draw (8)

Voltron Stuff (8)

Wipe (1)

Commander (1)

Commander: Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon

Regenerators (9)

Reassemblers (6)

Changelings (3)

Maybeboard

Spot Removal (22)

+1/+1 Counters and Proliferation (12)

Wipe (8)

Tutor (6)

Enhancer (2)

Recursion / Reanimation (19)

Ramp (13)

Misc (11)

Voltron Stuff (6)

Land (17)

Draw (13)

Skeletons (12)

Hate / Control (3)

Assist (2)

Good fortune and nice treats will come to you this Halloween
But only if you comment "¡GRACIAS SEÑOR ESQUELETO!"

I created this deck in 2018 as a thematic one for Halloween.
It is Skeleton Kindred and has many bone/skull thematic things. Not particularly strong but some decks are not made only to win, rather, they tell a story. (This one is more like a joke but okay, let's say it is a Halloween prank!)

Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
So, this is, basically, the only strong Skeleton in the deck (althought there are some decent ones) and it is out main win con and it carries the deck in its back.
Skittles is, because of infect, a 3-hit kill commander; but if you just make it 1 power stronger, it becomes a 2-hit kill. Just have that in mind because the whole deck is built around that (and, of course, using skeleton themed cards even if that means they are bad.)

So, we have to run lands to play Magic. I'm running some.
Note: Some lands are marked as Foils in the list. They are actually lands that I'm testing, have not acquired yet, or are in other decks. They may all be replaced by swamps if you don't have them.
Swamp: Basic, but always note that they fit the theme because they have a big skull printed in the text box.
Barren Moor, Desert of the Glorified: Cycle if they are not needed.
Blighted Fen: So many bones! Make someone sacrifice a valuable creature.
Cathedral of War, Cave of Temptation, Forge of Heroes, Opal Palace, Rogue's Passage: Make Skittles a little bit scarier.
Karn's Bastion: to force in that last poison counter
Temple of the False God: a little bit of ramp.
Spawning Pool: It is a land! It is a Skeleton! Sweet.
Ghost Quarter: to deal with troublesome lands. I've choosen the original Ravnica art because the ghosts are somewhat skelectical.
Hidden Necropolis: let's roll with Discover, and a big skull in the art! What can go wrong?
Bottomless Vault: Because, I don't know, maybe I like to SUFFER.

I'm not running Cabal Coffers + Urborg because I only have one copy of each and they are in another deck, but use if you'd like, they are very strong.
I'm also not running Mutavault because I don't have and can't get one at the moment, maybe someday.

Basically, skeletons that have the ability to regenerate. They can soak in some damage so we can live longer. They may seem somewhat pathetic and guess what, they actually are, but this is a gimmick deck isn't it? lol

Drudge Skeletons, Restless Dead, Unworthy Dead are practically the same card, their regeneration shield cost only one black mana so it's neat.
Marang River Skeleton: if you have nothing better to play you can megamorph it so it will be a formidable 2/2.
Restless Bones is nice to help kill someone playing black because of the swampwalk.
Duty-Bound Dead: Regeneration shield too costly but Exalted pairs well with Skittles
Skeletal Vampire: Nice with the token stuff, it is one of our alternative threats if Skittles costs much mana or cannot fight for another reason.
Marrow Bats: Can regerenate all day long and flying is nice to help pushing some damage throught.
Flayed Nim: CMC and regeneration shield a bit costly but it has this nice ability that is like a lifelink but on the contrary, so I'll call it deathlink.

Skeletons that come back from the graveyard, to the battlefield or to the hand, anything is okay.
Reassembling Skeleton is actually neat, you can see it in some more serious aristocrat decks!
Persistent Specimen, Fleshless Gladiator,: a little costly but will do the trick
Tenacious Dead: "You know what time it is? Tenacious D time!!"
Skeleton Crew: Yohohoho!!!
Bone Dragon: Skittles poor cousin, it is out second alternative threat.

This creatures are every creature type, wich means they are skeletons and may be even less pityful then our real ones!
Changeling Outcast: is just neat and our third alternative threat. Slap some Voltron Stuff to it and go to town.
Skeletal Changeling: woah it's a thematic changeling!
Cairn Wanderer: Gets lots of abilities. I just like this guy.

Diabolic Tutor: More like "Skeleton Tutor" with this art
Dimir House Guard: Go and get a Voltron thing!

Necromantic Selection with all the skeletons around in the art this is a perfect fit! Get the biggest dead creature and use it!

Bone Splinters is here more for the theme but it can be paired nicely with a skeleton from the "Reassemblers" category.
Death Wind debuff something to death with this neat skeleton in the art
Chill to the Bone is just a bad Murder but on theme
Spread the Sickness a little costly but proliferate may force in that last poison counter
Ashes to Ashes: To exile two creatures!
Carrionette: This skeleton lady will haunt your creatures from under their beds! Unless they can wake up in time!

Ways to fill our hand, we gotta run if we'd like to have a chance!
Skeletal Scrying and Read the Bones are useful and on theme
Skeleton Key, Skulltap and Casting of Bones are meh but on theme
Minions' Murmurs is situational but the art makes the cut
Sign in Blood I'd rather for it to be "Sign in Marrow" but okay, the ring and the bracelet of the person are adorned with skulls!
Ancient Craving I like to believe that there are broken bones in the art so it'd be on theme

So, this is mostly how we kill people. Slap these bad boys on Skittles and go in for nasty infect damage.
Blackblade Reforged, Strata Scythe, Lashwrithe and Nightmare Lash: They reward you for playing Swamps, in a way or another. Usually Skittles just need one of them to be dealing lethal poison damage.
Cranial Plating is not very strong but on theme. It alone makes Skittles a two hit kill, and it grows bigger with the mana rocks and other equipments.
Bonehoard: can make a big creature as the game goes longer
Grafted Exoskeleton: Backup infect wincon
Whispersilk Cloak: What, unblockable AND shroud? Sign me in!

To accelerate our mana a little, this deck is light but we can use some help.

First, there's Wayfarer's Bauble;
Sol Ring because Sol Ring, more like Skull Ring, am I right?
Charcoal Diamond and Mind Stone are our 2CMC mana rocks
Unstable Obelisk may be used to blow something up
Heraldic Banner helps with the Anthem plan
Orazca Relic has this animal skull and cantrips in a pinch
Black Mana Battery a little slow but on theme, we can charge it up with left over mana

I always say that there is no point in running a kind if there aren't cards that make them better. But skeletons are so bad that anything will do. Remeber that if we give Skittles only 1 power we make it a 2 hit kill, so these cards work with that!
Cover of Darkness: Nice evasion, nonblack decks be aware!
Corpses of the Lost: Pops tokens, boosts power, add haste? Sign me in!
Death Baron, Death-Priest of Myrkul: Guest stars in this skeleton deck?
Vanquisher's Banner adds in some draw.
Coat of Arms is huge, pair that with the Changelings and watch the chaos!
Stoneforge Masterwork is half kindred, half voltron
Urza's Incubator nice discount on mana
Door of Destinies is cute
Paragon of Open Graves color anthem, and is a skeleton too!
Whip of Erebos lifelink is nice, reanimating is nice (even thought we don't have much worth reanimating) and also has a little skull in the handle

As per definition, I believe this deck goes in bracket 1, as it is an "exhibition deck": A deck made with subpar creatures, art and theme are more important than the power of the cards, and it is usually played just to tell jokes.

Nevertheless, our commander Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon is very strong and is capable of ending games quickly if unchecked. So, I usually bring this deck to Bracket 2 games (knowing that I might get my ass beaten).

If you want to try and make a similar deck, go for it! Be my guest!
But I'd recommend talking to your group before, if the plan is playing a Bracket 1 game.

in: Staff of Compleation, Out: Relic of Orazca

Proxies to print: Clattering Augur, Cairn Wanderer (my copies are in Japanese)

Considering adding in more Proliferate stuff, and than, maybe some +1/+1 counter stuff.

Suggestions

Updates Add

Skelly Update — Aug. 2, 2025
Edit

Out: Sanitarium Skeleton, In: Persistent Specimen
An upgrade, I think

Out: Gutterbones, in: Fleshless Gladiator
Gutterbones always feels clunky, so I'm trying Fleshless in its place, I like it kind of synergizes with Skittles

I find your lack of swamp disturbing — July 28, 2025
Edit
Gather up all of the crew! — May 19, 2025
Edit
Reforging the Blackblade — May 2, 2025
Edit
Sol Ring, more like Skull Ring, Am I Right? — April 28, 2025
Edit
Carrionette — Aug. 16, 2022
Edit
Halloween updates — Oct. 28, 2019
Edit

Comments

Attention! Complete Comment Tutorial! This annoying message will go away once you do!

Become a supporter of TappedOut and hide ads for only $3/month!

Important! Formatting tips — Comment Tutorial — markdown syntax

Please login to comment

97% Casual

Competitive