Too-Specific Top 10 - Pack Think

Ranking Every Land with EDHREC - Part 6: Orzhova's Less Threatening than I Thought

Conditions Allow - Taniwha

Epic Experiment - Piñata Riku

Commander Showdown - Kefnet vs Yennett

Shape Anew - Shu Yun's Flying School

Archetune-Up - Pantheon of the False God

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arachnogenesis" href="#" target="_blank">Arachnogenesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/algenpfleger">Johannes Voss</a>)</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to the legendary creatures to whom <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to give a story. I’ll guide you through each fragment that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background love. This time around we’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thantis, the Warweaver" href="#" target="_blank">Thantis, the Warweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thantis, the Warweaver"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>A giant and malevolent spider who spins a monstrous web of burning mana across a vast forest, inciting rage in every creature that stumbles into its tangle. The fury of her prey feeds her own ferocity before she feasts on their corpses.</p>
<p>What is the influence of this spider on the forest where she spins her burning web? What is life like for the denizens of that very same forest? Tainted.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tainted Peak"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tainted Wood"></div></div>
<p>The monstrous web of mana creates an energy source for creatures and plants to feed off of, inciting rage and filling their hearts with hate. Beasts grow larger, humans grow sour, and the land grows lush with rot. Thantis sits atop the food chain of nasty critters and bog dwellers in her dank, humid swamp. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haze Frog" href="#" target="_blank">Haze Frog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, hags, and horrors fight for control of areas most saturated with the web's mana. There is an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overabundance" href="#" target="_blank">Overabundance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of mana in these locations, but it comes at a cost. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manabarbs" href="#" target="_blank">Manabarbs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burning Earth" href="#" target="_blank">Burning Earth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are additional great representations of the Thantis's influence on the world.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Haze Frog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hag Hedge-Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overabundance"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34739 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_name2.jpg" alt="" width="389" height="105" /></p>
<p><strong>Weave: </strong>interlace; contrive - to plan with ingenuity or form designs.</p>
<p>Her name implies a rather large intelligence. Was this creature born with that intelligence? Is it something she harnessed from the world around her? Was she herself tainted from the start? Or was she created by someone or something to serve a malicious purpose?</p>
<p>Thantis was once the familiar of a witch that lived in this forest, an intelligent hag that made deals and took what she wanted. The hag has died, but Thantis has carried on her master's work. Continually growing in size from constant feasting, her power has reached new heights and expanded her area of influence, whipping more creatures into a frenzy, drawing them to her, feasting on them, and growing more powerful, etc., etc.</p>
<p>For this reason,our final deck will include a Witch/Hag subtheme, and I've even given them their own familiars. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderscape Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderscape Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works quite well as ramp (and is part of a familiar cycle you should probably take a look at). Additionally, boggy Frogs are <em>excellent </em>familiars, especially ones as deadly and powerful as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderscape Familiar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Desecrator Hag"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Gitrog Monster"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34740 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_cost.jpg" alt="" width="171" height="83" /></p>
<p><strong>Black: </strong>"Do what you want until someone more powerful stops you."</p>
<p><strong>Red: </strong>"Live life how you want, rules be damned!"</p>
<p><strong>Green: </strong>"Life is a cycle - what lives must die."</p>
<p>Jund is the color combination that embodies the most raw and brutal aspects of nature. Green makes creatures large, red makes them act with minimal foresight, and black makes them take power for power's sake. A high instinct to survive must be instilled in order to exist in Thantis's forest. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Survival of the Fittest" href="#" target="_blank">Survival of the Fittest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in its fiercest form. To embrace the feel of natural selection the majority of our removal is in the form of fight cards; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulvenwald Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Ulvenwald Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature&#039;s Way" href="#" target="_blank">Nature&#039;s Way</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a couple versions of the effect we are looking for. And after the beasts fight, they <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feast on the Fallen" href="#" target="_blank">Feast on the Fallen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Survival of the Fittest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulvenwald Tracker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feast on the Fallen"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-34734 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_art.jpg" alt="" width="430" height="316" /></p>
<p>Thantis is a creature that I do not want to mess with; she has all the warning signs of being horrifically dangerous, and her design is reminiscent of a Red Widow, also called the <em>Latrodectus Bishopi</em>, one of the most dangerous spiders on the planet. It boasts a neurotoxin in its venom that can cause permanent muscle spasms in its victims. Yippee!!</p>
<p>Luckily this spider is only located in central and southern parts of Florida, living primarily in Palmetto bushes.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34972 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/palmetto.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></p>
<p>You know, these things that are everywhere in Florida? Yeah, they hang out in these... I'm never going to Florida. A bite from a Red Widow is rarely fatal, as they are too small to deliver more than 1/5th of a lethal dose to a human, but still.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Also, is something crawling on me...? Let's move on.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34738 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_type.jpg" alt="" width="594" height="55" /></p>
<p>Tribal is a huge theme on EDHREC, and not only for Thantis: a large majority of the creatures I have written about have many tribe-related cards in their top cards. Thantis being the first legendary Spider with the colors to run all previous Spiders (minus <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pale Recluse" href="#" target="_blank">Pale Recluse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), it makes sense that nearly every playable Spider makes an appearance on her <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/thantis-the-warweaver">EDHREC page</a>.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Spider tribal doesn't have enough support yet to make a dedicated Spider deck. The best Spider-related card (and the only one we are running) is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arachnogenesis" href="#" target="_blank">Arachnogenesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It fits really well in this deck; combat is going to be a huge component of these games, and there are going to be plenty of times where we will be unable to block. This spell is perfect for Thantis and belongs in every one of her decks, which means that the 59% of Thantis players who aren't running it need to step their game up!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arachnogenesis"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-34737 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_rules.jpg" alt="" width="446" height="174" /></p>
<p>I love the flavor in her abilities. Vigilance allows Thantis to block and attack with impunity, while reach ensures the she can block almost anything coming at you. She feeds off of the energy from attacking creatures, increasing her power and toughness. She also puts a definite clock on the game; forcing attacks will draw a lot of hate towards us, which is good for Thantis, but bad for our supple, soft bodies, so defense is going to be just as important as offense.</p>
<p>We're going to come at this from two angles: preventing combat damage, and encouraging combat between other players. As mentioned before, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arachnogenesis" href="#" target="_blank">Arachnogenesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fantastic Spider card, but it also helps with our plan of preventing damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Constant Mists" href="#" target="_blank">Constant Mists</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lull" href="#" target="_blank">Lull</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moment&#039;s Peace" href="#" target="_blank">Moment&#039;s Peace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fill out our protection package. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of Doom" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of Doom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="No Mercy" href="#" target="_blank">No Mercy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are going to have our opponents looking elsewhere for attacks, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disrupt Decorum" href="#" target="_blank">Disrupt Decorum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leaves them with no other choice.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Constant Mists"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="No Mercy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Disrupt Decorum"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Flavor Text:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34735 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_flavor.jpg" alt="" width="491" height="64" /></p>
<p>"Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble."<br />
<em> - Shakespeare's Macbeth; The Weird Sisters</em></p>
<p>Thantis's flavor text reminds me of a witch's brew, or the witch from Hansel and Gretel, luring unsuspecting victims and modifying their minds with one concoction or another. This line of thinking is what brought me to the sub-theme of Witches in the first place. It reminded me of the "combo" of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Festering Newt" href="#" target="_blank">Festering Newt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bogbrew Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Bogbrew Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bubbling Cauldron" href="#" target="_blank">Bubbling Cauldron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Without much tutor support, these three cards would be really hard to find, and even when they are together, the effects are pretty underwhelming. So unfortunately, these cards did not make the cut. Instead, I decided to go the route of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Accursed Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Accursed Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterheart Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterheart Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, using curses to hinder our opponents. I also found a gem of a removal spell for this deck in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witch&#039;s Mist" href="#" target="_blank">Witch&#039;s Mist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which repeatedly destroys any creature that tries to block.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Accursed Witch"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of Bloodletting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Witch&#039;s Mist"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34961 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/TBasics.jpg" alt="" width="687" height="317" /></p>
<p><em>Shadowmoor</em> has the perfect scenery for this deck. It's dark, misty, and overgrown. I can visualize Witches and Spiders living all over this place. *shivers*</p>
<p>The most expensive card in the deck by a long shot is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Survival of the Fittest" href="#" target="_blank">Survival of the Fittest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It is incredibly powerful and cannot be printed again. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fauna Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Fauna Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fine approximation of the effect and will do the job in a deck like this if you're looking to trim the budget. She also fits well flavorfuly as another forest-dwelling sorcerer.</p>
<p>This is a very slow deck. Take your time to set up and wait for a good handful of creatures to hit the battlefield before Thantis arrives. This is some true "battlecruiser" <em>Magic</em>, waiting until late in the game to throw down haymakers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Companion for a Witch" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Thantis, the Warweaver
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Spore Frog
*1 Ulvenwald Tracker
*1 Hunted Horror
*1 Instigator
*1 Spiteflame Witch
*1 Tattermunge Witch
*1 Thunderscape Familiar
*1 Bog Witch
*1 Hag Hedge-Mage
*1 Maddening Imp
*1 Rhonas the Indomitable
*1 Accursed Witch
*1 Desecrator Hag
*1 Hunted Troll
*1 Bitterheart Witch
*1 Garna, the Bloodflame
*1 Haze Frog
*1 Hunted Dragon
*1 The Gitrog Monster
*1 Pathbreaker Ibex
*1 Sower of Discord
*1 Tsabo Tavoc
*1 Archfiend of Despair
*1 Stonehoof Chieftain
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Dolmen Gate
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Gruul Signet
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 Coalition Relic
*1 Crown of Doom
*1 Jar of Eyeballs
*1 Cauldron of Souls
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Sylvan Offering
*1 Domri&#039;s Ambush
*1 Flesh // Blood
*1 Nature&#039;s Way
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Cultivate
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Disrupt Decorum
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Constant Mists
*1 Fall of the Hammer
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Lull
*1 Moment&#039;s Peace
*1 Arachnogenesis
*1 Sudden Spoiling
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Survival of the Fittest
*1 Feast on the Fallen
*1 Overabundance
*1 Witch&#039;s Mist
*1 Burning Earth
*1 Defense of the Heart
*1 Endless Whispers
*1 Manabarbs
*1 No Mercy
*1 Curse of Bloodletting
*1 Curse of Death&#039;s Hold
*1 Lost in the Woods
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Canyon Slough
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Forbidden Orchard
*10 Forest
*1 Mana Confluence
*6 Mountain
*1 Mountain Valley
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Rocky Tar Pit
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*6 Swamp
*1 Swarmyard
*1 Tainted Peak
*1 Tainted Wood
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>This deck went through more iterations than I usually do for <em>Lore Seeker</em>. I have been fascinated by the idea of a combat-focused deck, but making it five colors with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami" href="#" target="_blank">O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as the general. You get access to more tools, and I think by adding colors you are able to hone in on the very specific disadvantage that Thantis forces upon you. There are also a larger number of defensive cards available to you in blue and white that prevent people from attacking you. I think a deck like that is what will more likely be seen from Thantis, as attack and combat triggers are all over her page. Even so, I think this version of Thantis would be a lot of fun to pilot. I can't imagine it will win many games, but it will make a serious impact on those games by spinning a sinister web.</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! As always, let me know which legendary characters you’d like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>


Lore Seeker - Fevered Forest Fervor

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Return" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.sebmckinnon.com/illustration">Seb McKinnon</a>)</h6>
<h1>The One You Send to Kill the Boogeyman</h1>
<p>Greetings everyone, and welcome back to <em>Monomania</em>. In this article series we build mono-colored decks as a way to explore ramp and draw packages that are synergistic with our particular deck’s strategy. In these articles I try to challenge staples and misconceptions about the color pie. Today, we'll be stepping into the shoes of a professional assassin.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Toshiro Umezawa"></div></div>
<p>Enter Toshiro Umezawa, a meticulous assassin that uses everything at his disposal to fulfill his contracts. This commander’s effect is essentially card advantage, making our graveyard a well of resources. However, it includes a few important restrictions—most notably that it can only target instants. What’s more, we can only <em>Flashback</em> one instant for each creature that dies. This leads to a very particular strategy and identity inherent to this general. He’s resourceful, precise, and loves his dog.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-35009 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/jwdog2.gif" alt="" width="480" height="200" /></p>
<p>Obviously, we want a critical mass of instants to take full advantage of the effect, but we also want a variety of effects on those instants—from card advantage to removal to haymakers—so that we can respond to the game state appropriately. We also want to lean toward removing creatures one at a time. Board wipes, although necessary, will usually mean wasted triggers for us. One way that we are going to counteract this is by employing targeted removal. Another is that we are going to use the classic black big mana package with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vesuva" href="#" target="_blank">Vesuva</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make enough mana to capitalize on multiple triggers.</p>
<p>The power here is the flexibility of the commander. We can be extremely reactive to the table. We can play with very specific timing. If any creatures die incidentally, we can choose if we have an apt instant for the moment in our graveyard. That being said, be wary. If your meta or playgroup is creature-light, a Toshiro deck can very easily have trouble getting off the ground. Luckily, we're playing a multiplayer format, so we're likely to have a minimum of one creature-based deck at the table.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Guns. Lots of Guns.</h2>
<p>To build <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toshiro Umezawa" href="#" target="_blank">Toshiro Umezawa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, our ramp package is contingent upon how we’re going to draw cards. So first let’s look at how we're going to maintain a full clip.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-35005 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/john-wick-gun.gif" alt="" width="480" height="200" /></p>
<p>We want draw spells that are also instants so we can flash them back later, or spells that can leverage the big mana that black is capable of. I've included a diverse selection of draw spells, some explosive and others piecemeal.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Diabolic Revelation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dregs of Sorrow"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Necrologia"></div></div>
<p>These explosive draw spells are cost-prohibitive, but have the potential to excel. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diabolic Revelation" href="#" target="_blank">Diabolic Revelation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dregs of Sorrow" href="#" target="_blank">Dregs of Sorrow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are both sorceries, but take advantage of big mana like very few other card advantage effects in black. If we can find <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Stronghold" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Stronghold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, these X-spells become the best cards in our deck.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necrologia" href="#" target="_blank">Necrologia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only sees play in 20% of Toshiro Umezawa decks on EDHREC, but it should be a staple. Although it drains life and can only be played right before our discard phase, this instant is extremely valuable, allowing us to choose exactly how many cards we want to draw without any additional mana cost before discarding down to hand size.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Costly Plunder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Insidious Dreams"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moonlight Bargain"></div></div>
<p>These instant-speed effects are all powerful with our general, even though they draw a relatively restricted number of cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Bargain" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Bargain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Costly Plunder" href="#" target="_blank">Costly Plunder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, only net one card; however, it's the ability to flash these instants back that makes these cards so valuable. Because our graveyard is like a second hand for us, we don't mind stashing our instants there with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insidious Dreams" href="#" target="_blank">Insidious Dreams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Bargain" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Bargain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonlight Bargain" href="#" target="_blank">Moonlight Bargain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Now that we know how we’re going to dig through our deck, let’s see how we’re going to ramp up for some truly spectacular values for X.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Everything’s Got a Price</h2>
<p>Our commander costs one generic and two black mana to cast, meaning without <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it will be nearly impossible to cast him earlier than turn three. As such, our ramp package won't focus on getting to any particular amount quickly, but rather to facilitate our spell-slinging strategy.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-35006 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knife-fight.gif" alt="" width="480" height="200" /></p>
<p>We don't employ a curve in the traditional sense; we won't be trying to put pressure on the board from turn one. Instead of trying to reach six mana on turn four, we will rather be aiming to reach fifteen or more mana at a pivotal moments a few turns later.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crypt Ghast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magus of the Coffers"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Market"></div></div>
<p>First, we have a suite of big mana effects in black to complement <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Stronghold" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Stronghold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Each of these can help us produce large amounts of mana to search for all of the best cards in our deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diabolic Revelation" href="#" target="_blank">Diabolic Revelation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or to reanimate our entire graveyard with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Finale of Eternity" href="#" target="_blank">Finale of Eternity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Market" href="#" target="_blank">Black Market</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is especially powerful for us because it benefits from our innately trigger-happy core strategy.</p>
<p>Everyone knows <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While it isn't necessarily at its best in Commander, it does perform well in Toshiro, sometimes allowing us to chain removal spells. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spoils of Evil" href="#" target="_blank">Spoils of Evil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, on the other hand, has been largely forgotten and is extremely underrated, seeing play in only 79 decks on EDHREC. Sure, the floor is low—in specific circumstances, it might only gain a few points of life. Graveyard-based decks are extremely popular, though, and if we sit down across from a necromancer, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spoils of Evil" href="#" target="_blank">Spoils of Evil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will produce a ridiculous amount of mana at some point in the game. On top of that, our strategy relies on filling our opponents’ graveyards, which in turn adds fuel for this card.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spoils of Evil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thought Vessel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jet Medallion"></div></div>
<p>Because we’re playing cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skeletal Scrying" href="#" target="_blank">Skeletal Scrying</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necrologia" href="#" target="_blank">Necrologia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necropotence" href="#" target="_blank">Necropotence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which only allow us to draw big before our discard phase, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thought Vessel" href="#" target="_blank">Thought Vessel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is perfect here. We want to avoid discarding cards, and as such, eliminating our maximum hand size is very desirable. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jet Medallion" href="#" target="_blank">Jet Medallion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also furthers our strategy, discounting our removal spells as well as the instants we recast. Since our deck is built to cast multiple spells in a turn, we will get the discount on each of them and the Medallion will easily outperform any other mana rock available.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Deck</h2>
<p>With a solid foundation for ramp and draw, let’s bring it all together with a decklist. Because this deck plays so aggressively with its life total as well as the cards in its graveyard, it can be fairly difficult to pilot, presenting us with important decision points on any given turn. Toshiro likes to be poised, reposed, and reactive, waiting for specific moments to strike. Among the other notable inclusions here, we have various packages to support our main strategy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Revel in Riches"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sangromancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exquisite Blood"></div></div>
<p>To supplement our deck's fun factor, we can try to steal a win with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Revel in Riches" href="#" target="_blank">Revel in Riches</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or stampede over our opponents with their own deceased creatures using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Betrayal" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Betrayal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>With all of the spells in our deck that cause incidental life loss, we need some way to gain it back. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sangromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Sangromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a decent effect that can gradually replenish our life total over the course of the game without appearing too threatening. In addition, we have other ways to incidentally drain life such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Massacre Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Massacre Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pontiff of Blight" href="#" target="_blank">Pontiff of Blight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>While these effects can help put our opponents within killing range, we have no way to abuse them; therefore, we will usually need something else to deliver the final stroke such as a supercharged <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torment of Hailfire" href="#" target="_blank">Torment of Hailfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If all else fails, we can assemble the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanguine Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Sanguine Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> + <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combo to finish the job.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="They Call Him Baba Yaga" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Toshiro Umezawa
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Falkenrath Noble
*1 Sangromancer
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Chainer, Dementia Master
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Magus of the Coffers
*1 Ogre Slumlord
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
*1 Massacre Wurm
*1 Pontiff of Blight
*1 Overseer of the Damned
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Cremate
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Defile
*1 Skeletal Scrying
*1 Tragic Slip
*1 Undying Evil
*1 Altar’s Reap
*1 Cabal Ritual
*1 Costly Plunder
*1 Grasp of Darkness
*1 Without Weakness
*1 Grim Return
*1 Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty
*1 Spoils of Evil
*1 Succumb to Temptation
*1 Sudden Spoiling
*1 Tribute to Hunger
*1 Vona’s Hunger
*1 Dark Bargain
*1 Insidious Dreams
*1 Price of Fame
*1 Tendrils of Corruption
*1 Moonlight Bargain
*1 Necrologia
*1 Thrilling Encore
*1 Wretched Confluence
*1 Fated Return
*1 Scour from Existence
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Exsanguinate
*1 Finale of Eternity
*1 Torment of Hailfire
*1 Mutilate
*1 Diabolic Revelation
*1 Dregs of Sorrow
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer’s Bauble
*1 Jet Medallion
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Nevinyrral’s Disk
*1 Primal Amulet
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Necropotence
*1 Black Market
*1 Exquisite Blood
*1 Revel in Riches
*1 Sanguine Bond
*1 Grave Betrayal
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Lighthouse
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Cabal Stronghold
*1 Detection Tower
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Reliquary Tower
*26 Swamp
*1 Thespian’s Stage
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Vesuva
*1 Zoetic Cavern
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<p>That's all for today. What do you all think of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toshiro Umezawa" href="#" target="_blank">Toshiro Umezawa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Have you seen him in action before? Do you think he shares an uncanny resemblance to Keanu Reeves? As always, please do comment with interactions I missed, your thoughts, and alternative directions for the commander. Remember to EDHREC responsibly: always dig a little beyond the statistics. Take care and I'll see you all on down the road.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-35007 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/keanu-thumb.gif" alt="" width="200" height="200" /></p>


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