The Beast from Lake Zhava

Duel Commander Aggro BG (Golgari) Competitive Dredge Loam Ramp

Rurara_Rahura

Dark Wishes (15)

• 1x Aether Snap
• 1x Animist's Awakening
• 1x Damnable Pact
• 1x Demonic Collusion
• 1x Diabolic Tutor
• 1x Ever After
• 1x Harrow
• 1x Increasing Ambition
• 1x Life / Death
• 1x Life from the Loam
• 1x Plague Wind
• 1x Recollect
• 1x Splendid Reclamation
• 1x The Great Aurora
• 1x Wildest Dreams

Forgotten Baubles (14)

• 1x Crucible of Worlds
• 1x Elixir of Immortality
• 1x Everflowing Chalice
• 1x Horn of Greed
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Nemesis Mask
• 1x Phyrexian Processor
• 1x Quicksilver Fountain
• 1x Ring of Kalonia
• 1x Sword of Light and Shadow
• 1x Sword of the Animist
• 1x Trading Post
• 1x Whispersilk Cloak
• 1x Zuran Orb

Growth and Evolution (8)

• 1x Constant Mists
• 1x Ghastly Conscription
• 1x Irresistible Prey
• 1x Lure
• 1x Mythic Proportions
• 1x Noble Quarry
• 1x Putrefy
• 1x Words of Wilding

Terrors of the Deep Wood (7)

• 1x Baloth Null
• 1x Centaur Vinecrasher
• 1x Cockatrice
• 1x Doomgape
• 1x Oran-Rief Hydra
• 1x Rhox
• 1x Unyaro Bees

The Fens of Lake Zhava (49)

• 1x Barren Moor
• 1x Blasted Landscape
• 1x Blighted Fen
• 1x Blighted Woodland
• 1x Dakmor Salvage
• 1x Dark Depths
• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 20x Forest
• 1x Ghost Quarter
• 1x Golgari Rot Farm
• 1x Haunted Fengraf
• 1x Rogue's Passage
• 1x Slippery Karst
• 15x Swamp
• 1x Terramorphic Expanse
• 1x Tranquil Thicket

Visitors to Nephalia (6)

• 1x Golgari Thug
• 1x Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
• 1x Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
• 1x Royal Assassin
• 1x Sorin Markov
• 1x Stinkweed Imp

Commander (1)

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In the dark waters of lake Zhava, near the border between Nephalia and Gavony, there lies a horror which haunts the dreams of children and beguiles the minds of seasoned fishermen. The Gitrog Monster has no equal in terms of naturally deadly hunger as it clears away the very earth to catch it's prey. It's favourite meal is anything that cannot escape it's tremendous maw, horse-sized legs or bludgeoning, spring-loaded tongue.

I know many EDH decklists start out with this line, but: This deck is the most fun I've ever had playing Commander! There are many subtle tricks that veteran players can take advantage of such as multiple clean-up steps and progressive permanent shuffling.

The Fens of Lake Zhava
Surrounding the deadly lake are dark, expansive bogs and thickets. Many of these are easy to use, and the cycling lands are particularly useful if you enjoy two-for-one and two-for-two card-draw. With Crucible of Worlds in play your blighted lands become twice as effective and your Evolving Wilds can pull more lands out of the deck turn after turn.

Dakmor Salvage allows you to take advantage of the cleanup step. When you discard, drop a few lands into the graveyard and Dredge 2 which usually leads to more lands which let you draw an additional card. When that's finished the cleanup step repeats because of Gitrog's triggered ability entering the stack. Using this method you can set up your hand and fill the grave with lands.

Forgotten Baubles
Many visitors to the lake do not leave it's waters. Any treasure brought into the fens is doomed to stay under it's canopy where Terrors and Visitors alike desperately seek their aid to survive. Trading Post allows some give-and-take exchanges that could net you Artifacts, Cards, Life or 0/1 Goats (all useful things really).

Zuran Orb is infinitely invaluable, and any Gitrog without one is a sad toad indeed. If you put some mana in your mana pool before sacrificing all of your lands for life then Splendid Reclamation allows you to feel good about drawing all of those cards.

The Quicksilver Fountain is particularly strong, as you will just be sacrificing any lands that become islands while your opponents can do nothing but drown.

Dark Wishes
No land is without it's lore, and the dreaded ecosystem of lake Zhava is certainly no exception. Anyone harnessing it's power has no want for their desires, no yearning for loyal beasts and no shortage of mana; all is available to the worthy or foolhardy. If somehow that isn't enough you can cast The Great Aurora to guarantee a shift of power in your favour.

Even while The Gitrog Monster thrives, there is yet a greater beast to be summoned with AEther Snap .

Date added	7 years
Last updated	7 years
Exclude colors	WUR
Legality	This deck is Duel Commander legal.
Rarity (main - side)	9 - 0 Mythic Rares 24 - 0 Rares 24 - 0 Uncommons 8 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.67
Tokens	Bear 2/2 G, Goat 0/1 W, Manifest 2/2 C, Marit Lage, Minion X/X B, Plant 0/1 G