Liesa or Ravos?
Commander Deck Help forum
Posted on Jan. 8, 2022, 11:42 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
I am planning to replace the copy of Divinity of Pride in my Sen Triplets EDH deck with either Liesa, Forgotten Archangel or Ravos, Soultender, but I am not certain which of creatures I should choose.
Ravos makes my other creatures more powerful, but a 2/2 for five mana is rarely ever a good bargain, but he can also reanimate creatures that were in my graveyard before he was summoned. Liesa, however, does not require me to wait until my next turn to recover my creatures, can potentially recover multiple creatures per turn, can also disrupt my opponent's strategies, and has higher power and toughness.
What does everyone else say about this? Between Liesa and Ravos, which creature do you prefer?
Omniscience_is_life says... #3
In this particular deck, might I suggest you look for a lower-costing alternative? Your average cmc is already 4.10, which means on average your spells can't be cast until turn 5. This is an issue. An effect such as Phyrexian Reclamation, Skeleton Shard, or Blood Fountain might help your start your engine earlier, while also allowing you to be able to cast multiple spells from turns 4-7 instead of just one.
January 9, 2022 3:29 a.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #4
Grubbernaut, I was already leaning in Leisa's direction, anyway, since her second ability fits the control theme of this deck, and, since I did not mention why I am making the replacement, the divinity is a great creature (getting an 8/8 for five mana is quite awesome), but, in this deck, all it is is a flying beater, and I wish to have something that has more of an impact on the game, plus, its mana cost is too color-intensive for a three-colored deck.
Omniscience_is_life, those are all excellent cards, but I wish to replace one creature with another creature, since I am fond of creatures.
January 9, 2022 8:50 a.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #5
What about Vona, Butcher of Magan? She is also quite awesome, and that deck certainly has sufficient amount of life gain to use her ability multiple times.
January 9, 2022 9:52 a.m.
TheoryCrafter says... #6
Ranking your choices:
At #3 Ravos: a reusable Gravedigger with flying. On the upside though, unlike Liesa, your opponents won't get back their creatures if you somehow get control of them. And with that boost and toughness yer better off playing Arvad the Cursed which would at least make your Commander harder to kill
At #2 Vona: While destroying nonland permanents feeds well into your strategy, I'm just not sure paying 7 life is justifiable when half the time firing a Vindicate at the same permanent would do better. Especially when you don't have Font of Agonies in your deck.
At #1 Liesa: A stronger flyer than Ravos but unless you have Leyline of Anticipation you're still in the same boat as you do with Ravos in terms of getting creatures back on the battlefield.
My Suggestions: While Athreos, God of Passage isn't a flyer, its indestructibility makes it a better mainstay and hits at your opponents' life if they refuse to allow you to put your creatures back in your hand.
Another to consider is Circu, Dimir Lobotomist if you can keep him on the battlefield the mill into exile will eventually pay for itself. Granted, his 2nd ability is useless in Commander unless the card says multiple copies are allowed including, but not limited to, Shadowborn Apostle. However of the five listed here this is the closest to what you are doing with your deck.
Thank you for reading me out. I hope this helps. Happy Hunting!
January 9, 2022 11:29 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #7
For my personal pick in a slot like this in a deck like yours: Athreos, Shroud-Veiled. Indestructible is good, it can save a creature on the first turn you play it, and by using it on an opponent's creature you can steal it, perfect for a Sen Triplet list.
That being said raising your curve may not suit you, at which point Padeem, Consul of Innovation would be my pick. One less mana, gives card advantage and protects your triplets and other artifacts so you don't even need to recur them, and is easy on the mana.
Liesa however is graveyard hate and recursion on a particularly nice body so I couldn't see you going wrong with any.
January 10, 2022 2:14 a.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #8
Thank you, everyone, for your advice; I ultimately chose Liesa, since I already have Ravos in two other decks of mine, but I also put Vona in the same deck, removing a Tower Gargoyle that I had there only because it was all three of the deck's colors.
Grubbernaut says... #2
Between the two, Liesa, but neither seem super impactful unless you've got something tricky to abuse Liesa.
January 9, 2022 12:14 a.m.