<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.daarken.com/">Daarken</a></em></p>
<h2>Welcome to the Cult</h2>
<p>Salutations to you, dear readers! And, if you're new, welcome to <em>Precon Remastered</em>, where old preconstructed Commander decks are given new life by sacrificing some cards.</p>
<p>Today, we delve into the darkness to call upon sinister forces. Forces that, in ancient times, were cast aside until <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/ons"><em>Onslaught</em></a>, where they made their triumphant return. Much has happened since then...</p>
<p>Oh, we're not talking about <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/demons">Demons</a> right now? Oops. Let's just get straight to the commander then.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath"></div></div>
<p>This week, our commander of choice is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. On the surface, it doesn't do all that much. The lone plus ability gives us some life while slightly draining our opponents. Meanwhile, the minus ability puts a Demon token onto the battlefield at the cost of two life. Lastly, the ultimate bestows upon us an emblem that acts as a sacrifice outlet akin to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disciple of Bolas" href="#" target="_blank">Disciple of Bolas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>However, a deeper reading tells us something more than meets the eye (and no, it's not <em>Transformers</em>). But first, we need to lay the groundwork.</p>
<h3>Gathering the Materials</h3>
<p>As always, here are our rules for remastering precons:</p>
<ol>
<li>The value of the deck cannot exceed $120. This will apply to the reprints only, which gets to my first personal quirk.</li>
<li>Every card unique to the original precon stays in the deck. All those new cards that get released with precons remain in the list.</li>
<li>The land package should closely reflect what we get in precons these days (and, in my humble opinion, they're actually pretty good).</li>
<li>At least until 2020, we're not tied to a particular set, so we're free to choose whatever we want. You can be assured I have ideas for 2020 and beyond, though.</li>
<li>Universes Beyond cards are not added. No exceptions, unless they have an in-universe variant.</li>
</ol>
<p>With that out of the way, let's take a good look at what the precon looked like originally.</p>
<h3>The Original List</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Sworn to Darkness Commander 2014" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bad Moon
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Abyssal Persecutor
*1 Bloodgift Demon
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Butcher of Malakir
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Demon of Wailing Agonies
*1 Disciple of Bolas
*1 Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
*1 Evernight Shade
*1 Flesh Carver
*1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
*1 Grave Titan
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Liliana&#039;s Reaver
*1 Magus of the Coffers
*1 Morkrut Banshee
*1 Nantuko Shade
*1 Nekrataal
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Pestilence Demon
*1 Phyrexian Gargantua
*1 Pontiff of Blight
*1 Raving Dead
*1 Reaper from the Abyss
*1 Shriekmaw
*1 Skirsdag High Priest
*1 Vampire Hexmage
*1 Xathrid Demon
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Annihilate
*1 Malicious Affliction
*1 Skeletal Scrying
*1 Spoils of Blood
*1 Sudden Spoiling
*1 Tendrils of Corruption
*1 Tragic Slip
*1 Wake the Dead
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Aether Snap
*1 Black Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Dread Return
*1 Dregs of Sorrow
*1 Infernal Offering
*1 Mutilate
*1 Necromantic Selection
*1 Profane Command
*1 Promise of Power
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Sign in Blood
*1 Syphon Mind
*1 Victimize
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Charcoal Diamond
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Jet Medallion
*1 Lashwrithe
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Unstable Obelisk
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Lighthouse
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Crypt of Agadeem
*1 Everglades
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Polluted Mire
*32 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h3>A Weak Performance</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghoulcaller Gisa"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dregs of Sorrow"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evernight Shade"></div></div>
<p>While the section name is only slightly misleading, there's something to be said about what we got. Like when I covered <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/peer-through-time"><em>Peer Through Time</em></a> the other week, we have ourselves a hodgepodge of cards that fall pretty flat. There are a few X-spells in the list, like <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> telling us that this deck will be mana-hungry. On top of that, our best impressions of <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> are either a creature that needs to wait a turn, or a land that depends on the number of creatures in our graveyard.</p>
<p>That said, I do detect a bit of a theme in the 99, which I'll get to in a bit. However, said theme doesn't work too well with our alternate commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghoulcaller Gisa" href="#" target="_blank">Ghoulcaller Gisa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's better placed at the helm of a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/zombies">Zombie</a> deck. On the other hand, Gisa does work with the very evident sacrifice theme present in the deck list.</p>
<p>The best cards to sacrifice are also, paradoxically, the worst cards in the list. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Morkrut Banshee" href="#" target="_blank">Morkrut Banshee</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evernight Shade" href="#" target="_blank">Evernight Shade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are easy fodder, considering they don't do much to affect the board. The Shade has the added benefit of being sacrificed a second time thanks to undying.</p>
<h3>New Ingredients for the Ritual</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Necromantic Selection"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malicious Affliction"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raving Dead"></div></div>
<p>With the new cards, we do get a few goodies. With creatures dying left and right, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malicious Affliction" href="#" target="_blank">Malicious Affliction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be likely to kill off two creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necromantic Selection" href="#" target="_blank">Necromantic Selection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will wipe the board, and bring us back a creature, too! In addition, we've got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unstable Obelisk" href="#" target="_blank">Unstable Obelisk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which snipes a troublesome permanent, especially enchantments. Note that this card has been outclassed here, as we'll see soon, but at least it hits artifacts, right?</p>
<p>On top of those new cards, we get some cards that help <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/aristocrats">Aristocrats</a> decks. One of these is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wake the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Wake the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can bring back multiple creatures. Note that we can't use it on our turn, so they're blocking fodder.</p>
<p>Mostly.</p>
<p>What we could also do is cast it, bring back a bunch of creatures, then sacrifice them to fuel stuff like <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>, among other things. It also lets us reuse enters the battlefield (ETB) effects, so yay! More value.</p>
<p>Anyway, we also get another sacrifice outlet in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flesh Carver" href="#" target="_blank">Flesh Carver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but paying two to do it each time means we can only do it so many times during each round. However, Aristocrats is not what I'm intending to do here, so what's that mysterious theme I hinted at earlier?</p>
<h3><em>Sworn to Darkness </em>Remastered</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Sworn to Darkness Remastered" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Abyssal Harvester
*1 Archfiend of Depravity
*1 Bloodgift Demon
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Defiling Daemogoth
*1 Demon of Loathing
*1 Demon of Wailing Agonies
*1 Demonlord Belzenlok
*1 Desecration Demon
*1 Disciple of Bolas
*1 Dream Devourer
*1 Flesh Carver
*1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 Indulgent Tormentor
*1 Kothophed, Soul Hoarder
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Pestilence Demon
*1 Raving Dead
*1 Reaper from the Abyss
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Vampire Hexmage
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Consuming Corruption
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Defile
*1 Malicious Affliction
*1 Ob Nixilis&#039;s Cruelty
*1 Spoils of Blood
*1 Tendrils of Corruption
*1 Tragic Slip
*1 Wake the Dead
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Ambition&#039;s Cost
*1 Corrupt
*1 Dread Return
*1 Feed the Swarm
*1 In Garruk&#039;s Wake
*1 Infernal Offering
*1 Living Death
*1 Mutilate
*1 Necromantic Selection
*1 Promise of Power
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Reign of the Pit
*1 Settle the Score
*1 Sign in Blood
*1 Stitch Together
*1 Syphon Mind
*1 Victimize
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Charcoal Diamond
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Jet Medallion
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Unstable Obelisk
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Demonic Covenant
*1 Dogged Pursuit
*1 Underworld Connections
*1 Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Lighthouse
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Everglades
*1 Myriad Landscape
*32 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h3>Blessings of Power</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Living Death"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demon of Loathing"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demonic Covenant"></div></div>
<p>If you guessed Demons, you're exactly right! I leaned into a Demon deck with this remaster. It certainly fits our commander, considering it depicts him before he became one. That said, there are only a few cards that reward us for selling our souls to them.</p>
<p>Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Covenant" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Covenant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will have us draw a card and lose a life if a Demon is attacking an opponent. If my guess is right, we could draw as many as an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ambition&#039;s Cost" href="#" target="_blank">Ambition&#039;s Cost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows. Next, we have Standard all-star <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber" href="#" target="_blank">Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will draw more cards, plus drain our opponents for two. The other half can be unlocked in a pinch.</p>
<p>More often than not, Demons tend to work alone, and it shows. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archfiend of Depravity" href="#" target="_blank">Archfiend of Depravity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will set back those pesky go-wide decks considerably. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonlord Belzenlok" href="#" target="_blank">Demonlord Belzenlok</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will potentially draw us a few cards, as will <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kothophed, Soul Hoarder" href="#" target="_blank">Kothophed, Soul Hoarder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>That said, Demons tend to be expensive and mana hungry. We are packing more wipes than usual to help cover us early on, but we also have cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dream Devourer" href="#" target="_blank">Dream Devourer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which makes casting them cheaper if we foretell them instead.</p>
<h3>Ceremonial End</h3>
<p>That about does it for our delightfully evil overlords, and for this series for a bit. Come back next week when we return to <em>Commander Makeover</em> with a new entry.</p>


Sworn to Darkness | Precon Remastered

<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis Reignited|SLD|274" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis Reignited</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://baxaart.myshopify.com/products/ob-nixilis-reignited-full-mtg">Thomas M. Baxa</a></em></span></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/demons">Demons</a> lurk in the corner of every fantasy setting in one form or another. Some are conniving manipulators while others are bloodthirsty tyrants. But they're never trustworthy and never a good sign.</p>
<p>But how do you play Demons in Commander? What are Demons' strengths and weaknesses in Commander? And how do you win with Demons?</p>
<p>This EDHREC Guide is here to answer all of these questions.</p>


https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/demons-guide-header-2.png

<p>Demons are the iconic creature of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and have featured consistently in appearance and function since <em>Alpha.</em> However, they were briefly phased out and replaced by Horrors due to cultural concerns in the 90s before being reinstated in the early 2000s.</p>
<p>Demons began as high-costed, high-statted creatures which came with some notable drawback such as forcing you to sacrifice creatures or pay mana for their upkeep. This has changed somewhat over time, with cheaper Demons imposing less severe consequences supplementing the creature type.</p>
<p>Many Demons have keywords such as flying and trample, with less common keywords including deathtouch or lifelink.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demonic Hordes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lord of the Pit"></div></div>
<p>Demons and Angels act as foils to one another mechanically and narratively. Both usually having flying, Demons are <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> while Angels are <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Demons lose life while Angels gain life, and Demons are nearly entirely male while Angels are nearly entirely female. Each creature type also involves "creature hate" spells that directly target the opposing creature type.</p>
<p>Demons and Devils are distinct creature types, though they have significant overlap and effects targeting one often target both. Devils occupy the fiendish <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> creature type, though many Demons are <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-br" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>


<h3>Rip and Tear</h3>
<p>Demons are mid-to-high statted creatures, with weaker Demons either being utility creatures to support larger Demons or being able to grow over time. The majority of them have flying and a decent amount of other keywords such as trample, deathtouch, lifelink, or haste. Some have targeted removal in the form of dealing damage or destroying a creature outright.</p>
<p>This leads to a comprehensively solid baseline for Demons. No matter what your strategy, Demons will almost always be able to be effective by virtue of being good at attacking traditionally. This provides a fantastic degree of flexibility in how you run your Demons, whether by leaning into that with more aggressive plays or by shooting for an alternate win condition.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rakdos the Defiler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kardur, Doomscourge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shilgengar, Sire of Famine"></div></div>
<h3>A Fiend Like Me</h3>
<p>Demons have overlap narratively and mechanically with Devils, as well as other hellish creature types such as Imps and Tieflings. Many Demons prioritize abilities that affect other Demons, just as Devils do with Devils, though a fair few affect all of the various fiends across the multiverse.</p>
<p>A good number of Devils are cheap, weak creatures that deal damage to any target upon their death. These make for great sacrificial fodder for your more-powerful Demons. Imps have a range of effects, but tend towards being cheaper, weaker creatures that have flying and can act as screening chaff to protect you.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raphael, Fiendish Savior"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rakdos, the Showstopper"></div></div>
<h3>Tutor and Draw</h3>
<p>The ability to search your library for a card and then either put it in your hand or on top of your deck is called "tutoring" for it, as a reference to powerful cards such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that did exactly that.</p>
<p>Demons have an association with tutoring, even if most of them don't have that specific ability printed on their cards. Some Demons will allow you to search for specific cards in your library or thin your deck, but most tutoring support comes from non-creature spells that are thematically tied to Demons. These spells fall under the same colors as Demons and have explicit synergies with them, particularly with how many Demons allow you to draw cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liesa, Forgotten Archangel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodgift Demon"></div></div>


<h3>A Price to Pay</h3>
<p>Demons are expensive, oftentimes in more than just mana. They tend to be reasonable for their power and toughness, particularly considering their propensity to have the flying keyword alongside other abilities, though not always. Many Demons are significantly undercosted in mana but force you to sacrifice another creature, lose life, or make some other payment to supplement the mana.</p>
<p>When playing Demons, this ends up being a blessing in disguise. Because you're in control of when you make these payments, you can set yourself up with abilities to capitalize and compensate you for losing creatures or life. This then becomes a benefit in a roundabout way, leaving Demons cheap for their stats across all "costs."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rakdos, Lord of Riots"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vilis, Broker of Blood"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth"></div></div>
<h3>No One Likes Them</h3>
<p>There are multiple other creature types that actively hate Demons, such as Angels and Clerics. Being the iconic character for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Demons feature regularly in prominent roles across the multiverse. This then leads to many ways for other colors, particularly <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, to single out Demons or a collection of creature types that includes Demons with specific abilities that target them.</p>
<p>This isn't unique to Demons, but it hurts a bit more given that Demons tend to come with costs other than mana without in-built protections. That means it's quite easy to cast a Demon spell only to then lose the Demon before it provides value. They don't worry as much about being destroyed in combat, so focus on including ways to counter targeted removal or permanents that impart hexproof, indestructible, and/or ward to your creatures.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valgavoth, Terror Eater"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rakdos, the Muscle"></div></div>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Be&#039;lakor, the Dark Master" href="#" target="_blank">Be&#039;lakor, the Dark Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Be&#039;lakor, the Dark Master"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Be&#039;lakor, the Dark Master" href="#" target="_blank">Be&#039;lakor, the Dark Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a 6/5 Demon who has multiple enter-the-battlefield (ETB) effects related to bringing Demons onto your field.</p>
<p>When Be'lakor enters, you draw cards equal to the number of Demons you control and lose the same amount of life. This ensures that Be'lakor gives immediate utility by being cast, which as a commander can be repeated over the course of a game and adds up over time. <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> aren't the dominant token-generating colors, meaning the number of Demons you control shouldn't ever hurt your life too badly. It's functionally free card draw.</p>
<p>Also, whenever a Demon enters under your control, it deals damage equal to its power to any target. Given Demons' propensity to have midrange or higher power, this is consistent removal of most threats or ping damage. This damage is dealt by the Demon that enters, meaning if it has a keyword such as deathtouch or toxic those will apply as well.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaalia of the Vast"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders">sixth-most-played commander</a> at the time of this guide's writing.</p>
<p>Whenever Kaalia attacks an opponent, you may put an Angel, Demon, or Dragon from your hand onto the battlefield tapped and attacking that opponent. This doesn't come with any additional caveats, meaning it's just a means to increase your pressure while cheating out expensive creatures consistently.</p>
<p>Kaalia has flying, as do many Angels, Demons and Dragons. This usually leads to direct damage with Kaalia's cheated creature, in addition to whatever other effects they might have. Kaalia is cheap enough to be worth playing even with additional commander tax given how much it can potentially save you with even a single free creature.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rakdos, Lord of Riots" href="#" target="_blank">Rakdos, Lord of Riots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rakdos, Lord of Riots"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rakdos, Lord of Riots" href="#" target="_blank">Rakdos, Lord of Riots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> cannot be cast unless an opponent has lost life this turn, but is a 6/6 with flying and trample. For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, that requirement can effectively be ignored due to how accessible it is.</p>
<p>Running a Rakdos deck requires active pressure, with pinging effects that deal incremental damage consistently and spells that deal damage being essential. This is because Rakdos reduces the cost of your creature spells by <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for each 1 life your opponents have lost this turn. This means you can gain advantage by getting ahead on life while not neglecting your board, playing powerful creatures for cheap. Just be aware that many Demons tend to have high colored-mana costs, which aren't reduced by Rakdos.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raphael, Fiendish Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Raphael, Fiendish Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raphael, Fiendish Savior"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raphael, Fiendish Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Raphael, Fiendish Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a 4/4 with flying that grants your other Demons, Devils, Imps, and Tieflings +1/+1 and lifelink.</p>
<p>At the beginning of each end step, if a creature card was put in your graveyard that turn, you create a 1/1 Devil that deals 1 damage to any target upon death. This is notable for a few reasons. It's any end step, not just yours. This therefore triggers if an opponent uses a sorcery to destroy your creatures or you block their attacks. Also, any time a creature card is put in your graveyard is not the same as if a creature is destroyed. That means discarding a creature or it being milled both count!</p>
<p>Further, the created Devil becomes a 2/2 with lifelink. When it dies, it deals 1 damage to any target, which then gains you 1 life from lifelink. This means you have consistent token generation of above-average chaff that then can sustain you for longer while pinging opponents.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rakdos, the Showstopper" href="#" target="_blank">Rakdos, the Showstopper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rakdos, the Showstopper" href="#" target="_blank">Rakdos, the Showstopper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has an ETB where you flip a coin for each creature that isn't a Demon, Devil, or Imp. For each coin that comes up tails, you destroy that creature.</p>
<p>This is entirely luck-based, which can be very fun! <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> has a variety of coin-flip effects, but a 50% chance per creature to destroy it can be quite powerful. As a commander, the consistency to be able to play Rakdos multiple times maximizes its value. And even if there are still some defenders remaining, Rakdos is a 6/6 with flying and trample.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Athreos, God of Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Athreos, God of Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Athreos, God of Passage"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Athreos, God of Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Athreos, God of Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is indestructible, but isn't considered a creature if your devotion to <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> is less than seven. This means that across all permanents you control, their combined <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> or <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> colored-mana costs must equal seven or higher.</p>
<p>Independent of whether or not Athreos is an enchantment, whenever another creature you own dies, it is returned to your hand unless a target opponent pays three life. This relies on ownership, meaning if an opponent steals a creature from you then you still get the benefits from it. Also, you choose which target must pay the life, which you can leverage to force opponents in the least fortunate position to make a choice they'd rather avoid.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ardyn, the Usurper" href="#" target="_blank">Ardyn, the Usurper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ardyn, the Usurper"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ardyn, the Usurper" href="#" target="_blank">Ardyn, the Usurper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants your Demons menace, lifelink, and haste. At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may exile up to one creature from a graveyard and create a copy of it as a 5/5 black Demon.</p>
<p>This is incredibly useful for a Demon deck, with menace assisting flying to bypass blockers, lifelink adding much-needed sustainability, and haste ensuring immediate activity from high-costed cards. Ardyn's second effect can target any graveyard, allowing you to remove anchor-creatures from opponents' graveyards while gaining tokens yourself.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taborax, Hope&#039;s Demise" href="#" target="_blank">Taborax, Hope&#039;s Demise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taborax, Hope&#039;s Demise" href="#" target="_blank">Taborax, Hope&#039;s Demise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has flying and gains lifelink as long as it has five or more +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever a nontoken creature you control dies, it gets a +1/+1 counter. If a nontoken Cleric you control dies, you may draw a card and lose a life.</p>
<p>Taborax is slow to build and requires five creatures to die before getting lifelink, at which point it is a 7/7 with flying and lifelink. You can sacrifice your own creatures, particularly Clerics, to rush that quickly. But Taborax has no in-built protections, so its greatest value actually comes from its Cleric synergy, growing stronger while drawing you cards. Lifelink will offset the damage dealt by Clerics dying with only an attack or two.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vilis, Broker of Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Vilis, Broker of Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vilis, Broker of Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Vilis, Broker of Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an 8/8 with flying that allows you to draw a card for each life you lose. You can also pay <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and two life to give target creature -1/-1 until end of turn.</p>
<p>While quite expensive at <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-5" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> with no in-built way of cost-reduction, Vilis is a solid statline with a great effect. For a single mana, you lose two life and therefore draw two cards before giving a creature -1/-1. That's enough of a reduction to take out most mana-producing creatures or a token with an effect. And there's no limit per-turn to this other than your life and mana, meaning you can activate it multiple times to apply -1/-1 to the same creature multiple times or across multiple creatures, all while drawing cards.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire" href="#" target="_blank">Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire" href="#" target="_blank">Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a 2/3 with deathtouch and a boast ability, which can only be activated once per turn and only after this creature attacked that turn. Varragoth's boast allows a target player to search their library for a card, shuffle their library, then put that card on top of their library.</p>
<p>This ability to tutor is reliant upon active, aggressive action where you attack every turn. But being a 2/3 with deathtouch, many opponents won't block Varragoth with anything that can destroy it out of fear of losing their blocker. They might let it hit direct or use a 1/1, but Varragoth isn't at immediate risk after that first swing. This means you'll likely get a few activations out of its boast, sculpting your next few draws.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord Xander, the Collector" href="#" target="_blank">Lord Xander, the Collector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lord Xander, the Collector"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord Xander, the Collector" href="#" target="_blank">Lord Xander, the Collector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a 6/6 with an ETB to force a target opponent to discard half of the cards in their hand, rounded down. Whenever Lord Xander attacks, the defending player mills half their library, rounded down. And whenever Lord Xander dies, target opponent sacrifices half of their nonland permanents, rounded down.</p>
<p>Lord Xander is at its most effective when you can cast it to get that ETB activation, swing to get the attack activation, then die in combat to get the death trigger. With any amount of graveyard reclamation, this can be a repeated threat used to considerably disrupt a single opponent or harass multiple players over time.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Swiftfoot Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Swiftfoot Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a generally-applicable artifact that grants hexproof and haste to an equipped creature. This is more useful for Demons than other creature types for a few reasons.</p>
<p>Demons are expensive, high-power flying creatures without in-built protections who have additional costs. A Demon may be removed from the battlefield before it can actually be useful, so both hexproof and haste work towards mitigating the risks of playing high-cost Demons. With flying, a Demon can swing at an opponent immediately and directly, safe from blockers due to their high toughness.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whip of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Whip of Erebos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whip of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Whip of Erebos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants your creatures lifelink and allows you to pay <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to return a creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield with haste. At the beginning of the next end step, or if it would leave the battlefield, exile that creature.</p>
<p>This is solid graveyard reclamation allowing you to retrigger ETB and sacrificial death triggers for your Demons, often at a cheaper cost than casting them normally. But also, it gives your creatures lifelink. With how much life you'll be losing from activated abilities and spells with life costs, this adds a great deal of sustainability when paired with ping damage and high-power Demons.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drach&#039;Nyen" href="#" target="_blank">Drach&#039;Nyen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drach&#039;Nyen" href="#" target="_blank">Drach&#039;Nyen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has an ETB to exile a target creature and then grants menace and +X/+0 to an equipped creature, where X is the exiled card's power. This gives immediate targeted removal that bypasses indestructability alongside a legitimate power boost to one of your creatures.</p>
<p>A Demon with flying can bypass blockers that much easier with menace. Based on which creature you exile with Drach'Nyen, the power bonus can more than double the already-high power of your Demons. The cost of Drach'Nyen is its biggest weakness, but if you're reducing costs elsewhere it's a worthwhile investment.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber" href="#" target="_blank">Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p>Being a Room, you may cast either half of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber" href="#" target="_blank">Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> by paying its cost. As a sorcery, you may unlock the other door on your turn by paying its mana cost. Or in simple terms, you pay for one immediately and have the option of casting the other one as a sorcery.</p>
<p>Ritual Chamber creates a 6/6 Demon with flying upon it being unlocked, which is slightly above-average in value-per-mana. However, it sets up Unholy Annex quite nicely, given that it has a conditional effect based on if you have a Demon. At each of your end steps, you draw a card and if you have a Demon, each opponent loses two life and you gain two. Otherwise, you lose two.</p>
<p>With the Demons you'll have in the deck, you don't even need Ritual Chamber and can instead immediately get out Unholy Annex. This grants you card draw at the end of each of your turns, consistent ping damage across the board, and life gain. If you ever run out of Demons you can rely on Ritual Chamber as a backup, given the effects of Unholy Annex only trigger at your end step.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Covenant" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Covenant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Covenant" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Covenant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Kindred enchantment, meaning it counts as a Demon. It allows you to draw a card and lose one life each time one or more Demons you control attack a player. During your end step, you create a 5/5 Demon with flying and then mill two cards. If the milled cards share all of their card types, you must sacrifice Demonic Covenant.</p>
<p>This is card draw and life loss with Demon creation each turn. There's the risk of losing Demonic Covenant to an unlucky mill, but so long as you have any amount of library sculpting you'll be able to work around that at least for a few turns. Being able to draw cards helps, and even if Demonic Covenant only creates a few Demons it will already have provided value when sacrificed.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Market Connections" href="#" target="_blank">Black Market Connections</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Market Connections" href="#" target="_blank">Black Market Connections</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to choose one or more of the following at the beginning of your first main phase:</p>
<p>Create a Treasure token and lose one life. This allows you to offset the mana sink of Demons for minimal life loss.</p>
<p>Draw a card and lose two life. While a worse deal than card draw offered by your Demons, it is additive with their abilities. Therefore, it's often worth it to draw additional cards and run through your library quicker.</p>
<p>Create a 3/2 Shapeshifter with changeling and lose three life. Changeling gives the Shapeshifter every creature type, including Demon, which means it synergizes with the rest of your abilities. Three life is steep for a 3/2 with no combat-relevant keywords, but if you need blockers or sacrifice fodder, it provides additional options.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demonic Tutor"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Game Changer, meaning it is only to be included in decks intended for higher-bracket play. Learn more about that <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/wotc-introduces-new-bracket-system-for-edh">here</a>.</p>
<p>Demonic Tutor allows you to tutor a single card, searching your library for it and putting it in your hand. If you are playing Demons at a bracket with Game Changers, this is an essential selection that is narratively tied to the rest of your deck.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Counsel" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Counsel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Counsel" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Counsel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a limited tutor, only allowing you to search for a Demon. However, if there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard, it expands to being able to tutor for any card.</p>
<p>In a Demon deck, this is functionally a second copy of Demonic Tutor that isn't a Game Changer. And even for tutoring non-Demon cards, the delirium effect that expands the range of the tutor is easy to accomplish with any amount of self-discard or self-mill.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sign in Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Sign in Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sign in Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Sign in Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows target player to draw two cards and lose two life. This will most often target yourself, given that you're looking to draw as many cards as possible and don't particularly mind losing life.</p>
<p>It can also be used to deal damage to an opponent, where you then either allow them to draw their cards because you can handle it, they have no mana available, or you can force them to discard them immediately thereafter.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis, the Adversary" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis, the Adversary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis, the Adversary" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis, the Adversary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has casualty X, which allows you to sacrifice a creature upon casting this spell to copy it. This copy of Ob Nixilis isn't legendary and begins with loyalty X, while the original Ob Nixilis has loyalty three. It has the following abilities:</p>
<p>+1. Each opponent loses two life unless they discard a card, then you gain two life if you control a Demon or Devil. This is control over your opponents, forcing them to thin their hand or life totals while you gain life passively. This is a great option for your original Ob Nixilis, starting at loyalty three.</p>
<p>-2. Create a 1/1 Devil that deals one damage to any target when it dies. This creates a good sacrificial creature token or blocker, which can be bolstered with various effects such as lifegain.</p>
<p>-7. Target player draws seven cards and loses seven life. This is a great way to draw lots of cards for yourself, cushioned by Ob Nixilis's additive loyalty ability. It can also be used to deal a large hit to any opponent's life or to push them over their hand limit. But since they don't discard until the end of their turn, that's a lot of free card draw to give an opponent.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has loyalty three and the following abilities:</p>
<p>+2. Each opponent loses one life and you gain life equal to the life lost. This is small, consistent damage that heals you for quite the large amount over time. Demons have high power and swing with heavy hands, but incremental damage over time will make the difference between a one-turn kill and a battle of attrition.</p>
<p>-2. Create a 5/5 Demon with flying and lose two life.</p>
<p>-8. You get an emblem that you can activate by paying <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and sacrificing a creature. If you do, you gain life and draw a number of cards equal to the sacrificed creature's power. If Ob Nixilis is your commander, this becomes a very easy mid-game achievement that remains for the rest of the game. This can then be used on the 5/5 Demons Ob Nixilis can create, giving a net gain of three life and five cards drawn.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Westvale Abbey" href="#" target="_blank">Westvale Abbey</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Westvale Abbey"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Westvale Abbey" href="#" target="_blank">Westvale Abbey</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to spend <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-5" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and pay one life to create a 1/1 Human Cleric. This isn't very good by any metric, but allows you to spend excess mana to create a creature token, which is necessary for its second effect. You may alternatively pay <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-5" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and sacrifice five creatures to transform the land into Ormendahl, a 9/7 Demon with flying, lifelink, indestructible, and haste.</p>
<p>Ideally, you don't need to spend mana to create a 1/1 Human Cleric, you can just sacrifice other cheap creatures to transform into Ormendahl. But being able to create just a single last creature to sacrifice may be what you need to activate the transformation, so may be used as appropriate.</p>


<p>Demons want to win the game via flying, high-power attacks supplemented by consistent ping damage. Quite a few Demon abilities trigger on attacking or dealing damage to an opponent, meaning they're rewarded for aggressive play. But due to their lack of protections, Demons prefer to make calculated strikes where only a few swings can take down an opponent after multiple turns of ping damage.</p>
<p>Sustainability is an issue, particularly against spellslinging decks that can damage you faster than you can damage them. This is where lifelink and life gain are essential to prevent you from accidentally sending yourself into a position where an opponent can deal lethal damage.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Great Unclean One"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodcrusher of Khorne"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch"></div></div>


<p>Demons also have access to alternative means of dealing damage to their opponents, though most of them still want to reduce their opponents' life to zero. Odd combinations of Demons such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sower of Discord" href="#" target="_blank">Sower of Discord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodletter of Aclazotz" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodletter of Aclazotz</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allow you to link the damage dealt to two opponents and have it be doubled for both. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis, Unshackled" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis, Unshackled</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> acts as a deterrent to your opponents tutoring, forcing them to sacrifice a creature and lose ten life each time they do.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sower of Discord"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodletter of Aclazotz"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ob Nixilis, Unshackled"></div></div>
<p>These strategies still involve damage dealt to opponents, sometimes through combat and sometimes not. This can be enhanced by Demons such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archfiend of Despair" href="#" target="_blank">Archfiend of Despair</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plague Drone" href="#" target="_blank">Plague Drone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to shut down life gain, especially when paired with massive life reductions from something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Master of Cruelties" href="#" target="_blank">Master of Cruelties</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Generally, Demons want to reduce your opponents' life to zero. They just have multiple ways to go about it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archfiend of Despair"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Plague Drone"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Master of Cruelties"></div></div>


Demons in Commander

Demons in Commander: The Complete EDHREC Guide

Meet Tivash, Gloom Summoner, and His Trimmed Clique of Lifegain

Aetherdrift Set Review - Black

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana&#039;s Contract" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana&#039;s Contract</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiuwpz5srDjAhVWGs0KHdBEAuAQFjAAegQIARAB&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.artstation.com%2Fdeharme&amp;usg=AOvVaw0EXdkC7o5JkBbhSGEwaBqQ">Bastien L. Deharme</a>)</h6>
<h1>Burning the Table in Demonic Flames!</h1>
<p>It feels like it's been so long, but once again, we are reunited, Commander faithful! Welcome to this week’s edition of <i>Uncommonders</i>, the series that explores underappreciated commanders printed at the uncommon level. My name is Seth Cross and if I can tell you a little secret, I would tell you that I am normally not the kind of player that enjoys “chaos” cards. It's therefore going to be awkward when I tell you about the deck today, led by none other than a blast from <i>Magic: the Gathering</i><em>’s</em> past, the one and only…</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Boris Devilboon</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boris Devilboon"></div></div></p>
<p>Look, I know what you're thinking right now. You're right, the first thought most people get when seeing Boris is not “chaos” deck. If we look at the EDHREC page for Boris, we would see the makings of a Demons and Devil deck, in dual tribal synergy.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-36143 aligncenter" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Devils.png" alt="" width="700" height="391" /></p>
<p>While that does seem fun for the right table, I've done tribal builds before and I was ultimately uninterested. I briefly considered a Rakdos “punisher” or “group slug” deck with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polluted Bonds" href="#" target="_blank">Polluted Bonds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aether Flash" href="#" target="_blank">Aether Flash</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but then a random thought struck me that hearkened back to the days when I played <i>Dungeons and Dragons</i><em>:</em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Demons. Are. Chaotic. Evil.</p>
<p>Naturally, this led me to a crazy idea to build a chaos deck, true to the theme of Demons and demonic energy. Plus, well, chaos decks are evil, so I've that part of the alignment covered, too. In the end, I did include some punisher-style cards, but mainly because they felt “chaotic” and “evil” enough to fit the theme. Of course, some of them just felt evil, and in a deck like this, that's good enough for me. I also threw in a fun, janky wincon into the deck that I've been hoping to pull off for some time now. Let's check it out.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Harness the Chaos</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gamble"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rakdos, the Showstopper"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boompile"></div></div></p>
<p>When I think of chaos decks, some of the first cards that come to mind are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Possibility Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Possibility Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thieves’ Auction" href="#" target="_blank">Thieves’ Auction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and my personal pet peeve, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warp World" href="#" target="_blank">Warp World</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With a token generator in the command zone, I reluctantly do think <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warp World" href="#" target="_blank">Warp World</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a good addition to the deck, but the other cards are not necessarily the kind of chaos I want to embrace. I want cards that are going to work more for us than they'll work just randomly for everyone. Thus, my first thoughts were cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stolen Strategy" href="#" target="_blank">Stolen Strategy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gamble" href="#" target="_blank">Gamble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and we can't have a chaos deck without <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chaos Warp" href="#" target="_blank">Chaos Warp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Creepy Doll" href="#" target="_blank">Creepy Doll</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes for a good blocker that will basically have occasional deathtouch. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boompile" href="#" target="_blank">Boompile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rakdos, the Showstopper" href="#" target="_blank">Rakdos, the Showstopper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are each wrath effects whose efficacy is dependent on the flip of a coin (or two, or five, or seventeen). Finally, I haven't made a deck recently that felt like a good spot for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chaos Wand" href="#" target="_blank">Chaos Wand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> despite really enjoying the flavor of the card, so I was happy to slot one in for this deck.</p>
<p>At this point, we should note that many of our cards are dependent on flipping one or more coins, so I included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krark’s Thumb" href="#" target="_blank">Krark’s Thumb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to ensure that the odds are ever in our favor. For the sake of having more ways to get the Thumb into play, I figured a couple more tutors to go with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gamble" href="#" target="_blank">Gamble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would be a good idea. Again, for the sake of theme, I chose <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diabolic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Diabolic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Taking further advantage of our commander, who provides us with token bodies, I also added <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diabolic Intent" href="#" target="_blank">Diabolic Intent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> because I love my redundancy!</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Punishing the Sinners</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaervek the Merciless"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seizan, Perverter of Truth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ob Nixilis, Unshackled"></div></div></p>
<p>“Group slug” cards deal damage or negatively affect each player in the game. An infamous group slug card is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zo-Zu the Punisher" href="#" target="_blank">Zo-Zu the Punisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; if someone plays a land, they get “slugged” by taking damage. These kinds of effects can speed the game up, especially if left unchecked. They have some overlap with “punisher” cards, where opponents are forced to choose their terrible fate. Take, for example, the recent <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captive Audience" href="#" target="_blank">Captive Audience</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, where the chosen player must make horrible decisions once a turn unless they can remove the enchantment. Other good examples include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Risk Factor" href="#" target="_blank">Risk Factor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and another pet peeve card of mine, <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> (though that was a little too much of a 'big mana' to fit into this particular deck).</p>
<p>In addition to the cards above, I like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polluted Bonds" href="#" target="_blank">Polluted Bonds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaervek the Merciless" href="#" target="_blank">Kaervek the Merciless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to slug it out with the table in this deck. This is more of a meta call, but if there are many tutors happening in your games, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis, Unshackled" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis, Unshackled</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be a great way to balance the scales, while also being another Demon in our nightmare army. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seizan, Perverter of Truth" href="#" target="_blank">Seizan, Perverter of Truth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a unique slug card that sometimes gets left alone because people like the extra card advantage, even when it comes at a price.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">A Demonic Pact</h3>
<p>Earlier in the article, I mentioned there was a somewhat janky wincon that I have been hoping to pull off. Are you ready for it? Because here it is! We're going to win the game by signing a simple, legal, binding document: a contract!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana’s Contract"></div></div></p>
<p>The Vorthos in me is in love with this card! My only regret is that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Griselbrand" href="#" target="_blank">Griselbrand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is banned, so there is no way to ever win a game with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Heretical Healer" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Heretical Healer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck that has a Contract in it with her four Demon patrons. Here, we still plan on casting multiple Demons, and we even get an easy one by making the Demon Minion token from Boris. The hardest part will be protecting Contract until our next upkeep, so I ran some tricky cards that might help us pull it off. With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emergence Zone" href="#" target="_blank">Emergence Zone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <i>War of the Spark</i>, we have a one-turn chance to flash the Contract in, but I also ran <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vedalken Orrery" href="#" target="_blank">Vedalken Orrery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a more resilient means of doing it. My greatest joy is flashing Contract in at the end of the turn before ours when we have four Demons on the battlefield and winning the game out of nowhere!</p>
<p>As always, throw in some demonic ramp, diabolic card advantage, and evil Wrath effects, and the deck looks like this:</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Boris and the Bad Demon Boys" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Boris Devilboon
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Abhorrent Overlord
*1 Bloodgift Demon
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Charmbreaker Devils
*1 Creepy Doll
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Goblin Engineer
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Grim Haruspex
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 Kaervek the Merciless
*1 Krav, the Unredeemed
*1 Ob Nixilis, Unshackled
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Rakdos, the Showstopper
*1 Rune-Scarred Demon
*1 Seizan, Perverter of Truth
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Zo-Zu the Punisher
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*1 Boompile
*1 Chaos Wand
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Jet Medallion
*1 Krark&#039;s Thumb
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Indulgence
*1 Teferi&#039;s Puzzle Box
*1 Unstable Obelisk
*1 Vedalken Orrery
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifact]
[Sorcery]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Damnation
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Diabolic Intent
*1 Diabolic Tutor
*1 Disrupt Decorum
*1 Gamble
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Reforge the Soul
*1 Sign in Blood
*1 Vandalblast
*1 Warp World
[/Sorcery]
[Enchantment]
*1 Arguel&#039;s Blood Fast
*1 Captive Audience
*1 Liliana&#039;s Contract
*1 Mirror March
*1 Phyrexian Arena
*1 Polluted Bonds
*1 Stolen Strategy
*1 Sunbird&#039;s Invocation
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*1 Bedevil
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Hero&#039;s Downfall
*1 Murder
*1 Risk Factor
*1 Wild Ricochet
[/Instant]
[Land]
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Canyon Slough
*1 Command Tower
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Ghost Quarter
*8 Mountain
*1 Rakdos Carnarium
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Strip Mine
*10 Swamp
*1 Temple of Malice
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Volrath&#039;s Stronghold
[/land]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">From Demons to Devils?</h3>
<p>The last <i>Uncommonders</i> was based on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Danitha Capashen, Paragon" href="#" target="_blank">Danitha Capashen, Paragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a bunch of other chivalrous equestrian enthusiasts recreating <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/uncommonders-knights-of-the-round-table/">Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table</a>. Folks seemed to love the idea, and several of you pitched so many great ideas about Camelot-like connections that I either completely missed or was unsure of adding in the first place. Some people even had cool ideas for more decks based on different crazy themes! One of those ideas came from George Frey in the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/uncommonders-knights-of-the-round-table/">comments of the article</a>, who wrote:</p>
<blockquote><p>I'm curious as to what you can come up with for a "The Golden Army" style deck going with Golem tribal and using cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golden Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Golden Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golem Foundry" href="#" target="_blank">Golem Foundry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titan Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Titan Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make a massive never-ending army.</p></blockquote>
<p>I am a huge fan of the Hellboy movies, with Hellboy II: The Golden Army being my favorite of the two. I would love to do something like this in the future! Maybe it could even be a series, basing decks around movies, books, etc. Tackling big ones like The Lord of the Rings or maybe even comic books like the Avengers or the X-Men would be both stressful and exciting at the same time!</p>
<p>We are still stomping toward the end of the <i>Uncommonders</i> series. Each article makes me more excited to reach the end of such a huge project and I hope it's been as much for all of you as it has been for me. We're heading back to <i>Dominaria</i> for the next article, and after that we may very well be seeing some more <i>Replacement Commanders</i><em>!</em> If you enjoy my takes on <em>Magic</em> and <em>Commander</em> and want to discuss in the meantime, feel free to <a href="https://www.twitter.com/DM_Cross">find me on Twitter</a>. You can also see more of my shenanigans via the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/praetormagic">Praetor Magic YouTube channel</a>, both for videos and weekly streams! And if you want to join our community, head over to the public <a href="https://discord.gg/CrNHmTE">Praetor Magic Discord server</a>! But until next time, everyone, you know what to do…</p>
<p>Keep (randomly) droppin’ bombs!</p>


demons

Sworn to Darkness | Precon Remastered

Demons in Commander: The Complete EDHREC Guide

Meet Tivash, Gloom Summoner, and His Trimmed Clique of Lifegain

Aetherdrift Set Review - Black

Uncommonders - Demons, Deals, and Danger!