<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Keruga the Macrosage" href="#" target="_blank">Keruga the Macrosage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://danscottart.format.com/">Dan Scott</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo Melibeu, and this is <em>Epic Experiment,</em> a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p>This week we'll be looking into one very angry Hippo. While it has probably the most controversial keyword ever created, we're using it the good ol' fashioned way. We're talking about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Keruga, the Macrosage" href="#" target="_blank">Keruga, the Macrosage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Note: the <em>Companion</em> text below is the errata version, not how the card was originally printed.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Keruga, the Macrosage"></div></div>
<p><strong>Companion — Your starting deck contains only cards with converted mana cost 3 or greater and land cards. <em>(If this card is your chosen companion, you may put it into your hand from outside the game for {3} any time you could cast a sorcery.)</em></strong></p>
<p><strong>When Keruga, the Macrosage enters the battlefield, draw a card for each other permanent you control with converted mana cost 3 or greater. </strong></p>
<p><strong>Observation 1:</strong></p>
<p>There are a lot of differences between Keruga as a <em>Companion</em> and as a commander. In this article we'll be looking at Keruga as the latter. To read about Keruga in the <em>Companion</em> zone, here's a link to my <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/collected-company-keruga/"><em>Collected Company</em> article</a>.</span></p>
<p><strong>Observation 2:</strong></p>
<p>Keruga's ability is really strong in the Simic colors: having an explosive draw effect that rewards committing to the board can be quite powerful, and we have enough support to exploit it.</p>
<p><strong>Observation 3:</strong></p>
<p>Unlike its <em>Companion</em> version, Keruga as a commander is not restricted to three-CMC and greater cards, so it can pack normal interaction, such as counterspells and cheap removal, which makes building it as a commander much less risky.</p>
<p><strong>Observation 4:</strong></p>
<p>Keruga has one glaring weakness: it needs to overextend to reap the benefit from the draw. This leads into situations where we can get blown out by board wipes while trying to get more value from Keruga.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Keruga-Sig-2.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-53855" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Keruga-Sig-2-1024x466.png" alt="" width="1024" height="466" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Keruga-Sig-2-1024x466.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Keruga-Sig-2-300x136.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Keruga-Sig-2-768x349.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Keruga-Sig-2.png 1361w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p>
<p>Keruga is a powerful midrange commander; most lists are packing creatures with powerful effects to fuel Keruga's card draw, this is similar to a blink shell, and it can even be adapted to become one. There's something to be said about the risk of using creatures to get value from Keruga, since it's very easy to get blown out by board wipes.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Control Magic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rites of Flourishing"></div></div>
<p>To counteract the need of overextending, we could use cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alhammarret&#039;s Archive" href="#" target="_blank">Alhammarret&#039;s Archive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make Keruga's trigger more efficient; however, that means that we need to find and play them before casting our commander. This play pattern can be awkward because these are kill on sight cards, which means that it's very likely that we won't untap with them. But what if I told you that, without having to rely on any specific enablers, there's a way to <em>always</em> get double the value from our cards?</p>
<p>Enter <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Control Magic" href="#" target="_blank">Control Magic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a four-mana enchantment that allows us to steal creatures from our opponents. Which ultimately means that we get double the card draw for each of these effects that we've played!</p>
<p>While our core theme is set, we still need to find a shell to enable this interaction. Group Hug is great for this as it allows us to develop our game plan while flying under the radar. Our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Control Magic" href="#" target="_blank">Control Magic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects can even help this strategy as a whole because we can steal threats from our opponents, if their board state gets too big.</p>
<p>Our game plan is very mana hungry. Because of that, the <em>Hug </em>pieces that we are looking for are mainly ones that provide us said mana, either by ramping or drawing into them. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="New Frontiers" href="#" target="_blank">New Frontiers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Collective Voyage" href="#" target="_blank">Collective Voyage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Veteran Explorer" href="#" target="_blank">Veteran Explorer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are explosive pieces that, if played early on, opens up the game right from the start. Since our commander can be a great source of card draw, it isn't our main concern; however, it still helps both at finding our ramp and as a political currency.</p>
<p>Here are some cards that help us along in our plans:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Temple bell" href="#" target="_blank">Temple bell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an amazing tool, as we get to choose when we want to activate it, and there's a lot of potentials for deals here</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jace Beleren" href="#" target="_blank">Jace Beleren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has some similarities to Temple Bell, but it trades the instant speed aspect for the potential of selfish activation</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Horn of Greed" href="#" target="_blank">Horn of Greed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> becomes a powerful draw engine that tends to stay on board because it's symmetrical</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ominous Seas"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Folio of Fancies"></div></div>
<p>Our game plan isn't so efficient at closing games. After all, beating people with their own creatures can be quite slow, especially when said creatures can disappear after their owner is eliminated from the game. Therefore, we still need some threats of our own. The hardest part, for me at least, in any politics-oriented deck is finding the right win condition; we need them to be effective, but they can't be too effective or else they'll attract aggro and undo all of our hard political work. Mill works perfectly for what we're trying to accomplish; cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage" href="#" target="_blank">Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Psychic Corrosion" href="#" target="_blank">Psychic Corrosion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be great "concealed" win conditions because, until we start going off, they don't present as themselves as immediate threats for the rest of the table.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Keruga Group Hug" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Keruga, the Macrosage
[/Commander]
[Artifact]
*Sol Ring
*Folio of Fancies
*Crystal Shard
*Horn of Greed
*Pendant of Prosperity
*Portal of Sanctuary
*Temple Bell
*Erratic Portal
*Panharmonicon
*Vedalken Orrery
*Alhammarret&#039;s Archive
*Keening Stone
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*Veteran Explorer
*Farhaven Elf
*Springbloom Druid
*Wood Elves
*Sower of Temptation
*Grothama, All-Devouring
*Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*Consecrated Sphinx
*Rampaging Baloths
*Agent of Treachery
*Avenger of Zendikar
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*Ominous Seas
*Psychic Corrosion
*Rhystic Study
*Rites of Flourishing
*Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage
*Teferi&#039;s Tutelage
*Control Magic
*Leyline of Anticipation
*Vernal Equinox
*Control Magic
*Treachery
*Confiscate
*In Bolas&#039;s Clutches
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Nature&#039;s Claim
*Pongify
*Rapid Hybridization
*Swan Song
*Arcane Denial
*Counterspell
*Cyclonic Rift
*Reality Shift
*Beast Within
*Aetherize
*Sudden Substitution
*Aetherspouts
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Collective Voyage
*Minds Aglow
*New Frontier
*Wildest Dreams
*Farseek
*Nature&#039;s Lore
*Rampant Growth
*Show and Tell
*Tempt with Discovery
*Hour of Promise
*Blatant Thievery
[/Sorcery]
[Planeswalker]
*Jace Beleren
[/Planeswalker]
[Land]
*Command Tower
*Breeding Pool
*Botanical Sanctum
*City of Brass
*Mana Confluence
*Waterlogged Grove
*Hinterland Harbor
*Yavimaya Coast
*Exotic Orchard
*Temple of Mystery
*Alchemist&#039;s Refuge
*Thespian&#039;s Stage
*Dark Depths
*11 Forest
*15 Island
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>Our deck is lacking in targets for cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erratic Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Erratic Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Panharmonicon" href="#" target="_blank">Panharmonicon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; however, when considering that our commander is our main way to recover cards, it's easy to understand how this support suite can be effective. These pieces become especially good in the later portions of the game, when we have enough mana to both draw and play cards on the same turn.</p>
<p>One of the main setbacks when playing Group Hug decks is that we can sometimes accidentally act as a kingmaker. This happens because many of our more explosive effects can only be played on our turn, regardless if the next player is already too far ahead or is unwilling to cooperate. To get around this, we're playing some <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> effects; these cards are great because they give us a new dimension by which to bargain because now we can try to make deals regarding when we play a Hug effect. They also play well into our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Control Magic" href="#" target="_blank">Control Magic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> spells, as stealing a creature at instant speed allows us to have a pseudo-haste effect.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
<p>Our opening hands are very flexible; we're mostly looking to play some ramp and stay on curve. Overall, some easy mulligans are hands that contain too many late-game pieces, such as: expensive threats, mill pieces, and Keruga support. We have an expensive deck, and we won't have the time to cast them all if our opening hand is full of them. The sooner we start playing our Group Hug cards, the sooner we can start making deals (and hopefully steal some important threats); however, if we take too long to ramp it, can slow us down by the mid-game.</p>
<p>By the mid-game, we should be looking for the opportunity to either: play Keruga and draw some cards if we're running out of steam; start making deals with the table, if we drew some of our Hug pieces; or even steal some threats, if we need to break parity or control the board. When looking to make deals, especially when it involves symmetrical effects, we need to carefully consider how it affects each other player, because games tend spiral out of control when we fail to do so. Alternatively, we could try to make a deal with the already established threat, if we think that we can out-scale them in the late game. This allows us to use them to eliminate other players while we develop, waiting for a chance to strike. Needless to say, this might be a bit salt-inducing for the rest of the table, especially if we go on to lose the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Keening Stone"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rampaging Baloths"></div></div>
<p>Our late-game chances are pretty good, and if we're doing our job right, we have a decent chance of living to see this stage of the game quite comfortably. This gives us the time we need to develop our mana in order to play some of our more expensive threats, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avenger of Zendikar" href="#" target="_blank">Avenger of Zendikar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rampaging Baloths" href="#" target="_blank">Rampaging Baloths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; or even go crazy on the mill pieces. It's important to understand when to make the face-heel turn; if we go too soon, we might not have what it takes to finish the game, and if we take too long, we might be too late.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thassa, Deep-Dwelling"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reclamation Sage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Food Chain"></div></div>
<p>Another way to build is investing deeper into creatures with ETB triggers, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reclamation Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Reclamation Sage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wood Elves" href="#" target="_blank">Wood Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and lean heavier in the flicker side. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa, Deep Dwelling" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa, Deep Dwelling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conjurer&#039;s Closet" href="#" target="_blank">Conjurer&#039;s Closet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can do some work, but they're just awkwardly slow without a higher number of decent ETB creatures in our deck.</p>
<p>Another change could be substituting some win condition (probably mill, as it's very slot-heavy) to be more combo-oriented. The <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Food Chain" href="#" target="_blank">Food Chain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plus <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eternal Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Eternal Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>/<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Misthollow Griffin" href="#" target="_blank">Misthollow Griffin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combo is game-ending when combined with our commander, as we get to draw our entire library and then use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Laboratory Maniac" href="#" target="_blank">Laboratory Maniac</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>/<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa&#039;s Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa&#039;s Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to win the game. If considering this approach, we should also include a dedicated tutor suite to help to find our combo pieces.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment!</em> What do you think about this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which didn’t you? Was this <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


Epic Experiment - Keruga Theft

Archetune-Up - License to Mill

Conditions Allow - Dralnu, Lich Lord

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rooftop Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Rooftop Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://stankoillustration.com/">John Stanko</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 aspect that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background attention. This time around we’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist" href="#" target="_blank">Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus"></div></div>
<p>When talking about Ludevic, it's nearly impossible to avoid his ultimate creation, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus" href="#" target="_blank">Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and because they both have <em>Partner</em>, the deck we build will have both of them as its commanders.</p>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Ludevic of Ulm is a reclusive necro-alchemist that lives in Havengul on the plane of Innistrad. In his necro-alchemical pursuits, he aims for more than simply the creation of Skaabs. Instead, Ludevic aims to understand the horror his creations inspire. Some think that Ludevic's consumption of potions and inhalation of toxic vapors has left him no choice but to abandon his experiments, leaving him to devote his sizable intellect to the problem of making himself and his business partners filthy rich. He has taken Geralf Cecani under his wing, training him in the arts of necro-alchemy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stitcher Geralf"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicName.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42166 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicName.jpg" alt="" width="449" height="90" /></a></p>
<p>A necro-alchemist is a wizard that harnesses the energy of Geists to fuel crazed technological inventions. Effectively, they achieve necromancy through alchemical means. Also known as "skaberen," these wizards hone the craft of creating frankensteinian monstrosities known as Skaabs. Skaabs are blue-aligned Zombies that frequently interact with the graveyard, either through putting cards there from the top of the library, or requiring creatures (corpses) to be exiled from your graveyard. Using up dead bodies to craft a Skaab evokes images of a crazed scientist in a lab coat standing over a piecemeal behemoth abomination, periodically illuminated by blindingly bright arcs of electricity, and we can see through various cards in the game that Ludevic's protégé, Geralf, is following in his mentor's footsteps.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Geralf&#039;s Masterpiece"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicCost.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42163 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicCost.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="83" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Blue: </strong>Intelligence is king; a Wizard must accumulate as much knowledge as possible. Blue is controlled and calculated.</p>
<p><strong>Red: </strong>Impulsive and rash, red is the wild inventor. Exploring an idea only as long as it holds their attention.</p>
<p><strong>Izzet (blue/red): </strong> Leaping from one ill-conceived experiment to another, an Izzet mage is able to spend much time studying, but will abandon fruitless pursuits for more promising experiments. Blue and red embody the mad scientist moving from one obsessive project to the next.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicType.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42168 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicType.jpg" alt="" width="624" height="89" /></a></p>
<p>Ludevic is <em>Magic: the Gathering</em>'s Dr. Frankenstein. Unlike that unfortunate would-be giver of life, however, Ludevic is enthralled by his creation and loves the horror Kraum brings to the denizens of Havengul. Instead of running away from the meat golem, Ludevic studies it.</p>
<p>A simple way to build the deck would be as a Zombie tribal deck. The colors of Ludevic don't line up with the primary color of the Zombie tribe (black), and though Ludevic does create monstrosities, he is truly obsessed with the horror he can inflict. The primary path to victory for this deck is a bit of a cobbled together monstrosity itself. Mill, resource denial, and punisher themes all come together here to form a rather annoying deck that, oddly enough, functions a bit like a Group Hug deck. The card that best showcases this idea is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fevered Visions" href="#" target="_blank">Fevered Visions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fevered Visions"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sulfuric Vortex"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Copper Tablet"></div></div>
<p>It functions similarly to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Howling Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Howling Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but asks for a bit in return. This is exactly how we want Ludevic to function. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sulfuric Vortex" href="#" target="_blank">Sulfuric Vortex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Copper Tablet" href="#" target="_blank">Copper Tablet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> pair with Ludevic to fuel our own Fevered Visions.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicRules.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42167 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicRules.jpg" alt="" width="625" height="286" /></a></p>
<p>Ludevic is a somewhat political commander. Using his ability to point aggression elsewhere is a good way to keep your life total higher than your opponents'. However, I want to trigger this for other people; I want people to have so many cards in their hands that they feel inclined to decline the draw. As mentioned before, using cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sulfuric Vortex" href="#" target="_blank">Sulfuric Vortex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Copper Tablet" href="#" target="_blank">Copper Tablet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will automatically trigger Ludevic on each of your opponents' turns.</p>
<p>With Ludevic filling the hand, we have access to a few extra options to deal continual damage to our opponents that rely upon the number of cards in hand.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Give Em the Clamps" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Clamps!]
Viseling
Black Vise
Ebony Owl Netsuke
Thumbscrews
Iron Maiden
Misers&#039; Cage
[/Clamps!]"></span></div>
<hr />
<h2>Flavor Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicFlavor.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42164 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicFlavor.jpg" alt="" width="582" height="104" /></a></p>
<p>When selecting corpses for experimentation, those with large, healthy brains make the most excellent servants. If he is feeling particularly generous, Ludevic will take those less naturally gifted and give them some lessons. In <em>Magic</em>, a thought in one's mind is represented by a card in hand. With Ludevic's ability, we're hoping to load up everyone's hand with as many cards as possible; let's get those brains nice and fat, ready for the harvest.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brain in a Jar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Folio of Fancies"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forced Fruition"></div></div>
<p>The next step in our gameplan is to limit our opponents' ability to take advantage of their bounty. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Laboratory" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Laboratory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damping Sphere" href="#" target="_blank">Damping Sphere</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> limit the amount of spells cast each turn. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Maze" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Maze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Static Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Static Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all inhibit mana production. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forced Fruition" href="#" target="_blank">Forced Fruition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fits in this category as well because our opponent will never be able to empty their hands, which is the main goal of this group of cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcane Laboratory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mana Maze"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Static Orb"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicBasics.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42239 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ludevicBasics.jpg" alt="" width="530" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>The basic lands I've selected for Ludevic and Kraum are, appropriately, from the plane of Innistrad. The isolated tower on the water is the perfect quiet place to experiment while the small valley hamlet provides Kraum plenty of individuals to terrorize.</p>
<p>The deck has a very slim average converted mana cost, coming in just under three, and it boasts a healthy dose of card draw. These two factors make it run smoothly and consistently. It's fairly defenseless, aside from a few board wipes, so play them sparingly. People will absolutely get annoyed by a lot of the things this deck does, and aggression towards you is to be expected. Ultimately, the deck operates like a less-tuned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekusar, the Mindrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, but with loads of flavor.</p>
<p>No card costs over $20, and the deck as a whole sits around $250 if you were to assemble it yourself. The most surprising cost is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Copper Tablet" href="#" target="_blank">Copper Tablet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which was once on the Reserved List pre-2002.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="IT LIVES!" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commanders]
*1 Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist
*1 Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus
[/Commanders]
[Creatures]
*1 Kami of the Crescent Moon
*1 Ludevic&#039;s Test Subject
*1 Chasm Skulker
*1 Gadwick, the Wizened
*1 Jace&#039;s Archivist
*1 Magus of the Wheel
*1 Dreamborn Muse
*1 Viseling
*1 Psychosis Crawler
*1 Stitcher Geralf
*1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun
*1 The Locust God
*1 Dragon Mage
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Tormod&#039;s Crypt
*1 Black Vise
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Anvil of Bogardan
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Brain in a Jar
*1 Copper Tablet
*1 Damping Sphere
*1 Ebony Owl Netsuke
*1 Folio of Fancies
*1 Howling Mine
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Thumbscrews
*1 Winter Orb
*1 Iron Maiden
*1 Misers&#039; Cage
*1 Static Orb
*1 Temple Bell
*1 Font of Mythos
*1 Skullcage
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Minds Aglow
*1 Preordain
*1 Prosperity
*1 Fascination
*1 Mana Vapors
*1 Skyscribing
*1 Day&#039;s Undoing
*1 Windfall
*1 Wash Out
*1 Reforge the Soul
*1 Echo of Eons
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Vision Skeins
*1 Words of Wisdom
*1 Evacuation
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Mana Maze
*1 Arcane Laboratory
*1 Dictate of Kruphix
*1 Fevered Visions
*1 Psychic Corrosion
*1 Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage
*1 Sulfuric Vortex
*1 Manabarbs
*1 Pyrohemia
*1 Dictate of the Twin Gods
*1 Forced Fruition
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Jace Beleren
[/Planeswalker]
[Lands]
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Command Tower
*1 Fiery Islet
*15 Island
*11 Mountain
*1 Riptide Laboratory
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Spirebluff Canal
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Temple of Epiphany
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>I hope I've fueled your mind for your next experiment. The data on EDHREC relating to <em>Partner</em> commanders is a little hazy, but <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/kraum-ludevics-opus-ludevic-necro-alchemist">Ludevic and Kraum</a> command only 114 decks together. This is likely due to the fact that the main reason to run <em>Partner</em> commanders is to add additional colors. Whatever the reason, the two actually work decently well together; if Ludevic is giving out extra cards, your opponents will have more spells to cast, triggering Kraum. This build capitalizes on the extra card draw in order to find the cards that finally hinder the ability to cast extra spells in a turn rather than to draw cards throughout the entire game.</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 - Weird Science

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind Rot" href="#" target="_blank">Mind Rot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;artist=[%22Steve%20Luke%22]">Steve Luke</a>)</h6>
<h1>As the Kids Say, "YOLO"</h1>
<p>Hey everyone! Kya here once again! Welcome back to <em>Turning Data to Decks</em>, the series where we take a different dive into the EDHREC site from the typical norm.</p>
<p>I've been writing these articles for a while now, and typically a lot of thought and work goes into them before I even sit down at the computer and begin my long rants of hardly coherent writings. I know for many, building a deck can be difficult and some even look to us writers for insights on types of decks or unique interactions with cards they've never seen before. It's been my privilege to share my ideas (and nonsense) with the wide EDH world throughout the years here on EDHREC.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Act on Impulse"></div></div>
<p>But let's just do something different for once. Let's put zero prep work into anything and just have fun building a silly yet effective deck! Why, you ask? Because sometimes I think we don't do enough of a good job expressing how fun it is to make a casual brew on the spot. Sure, I have some decks that I've put in countless hours and dollars into, which last for life... but I also have some that were made in the heat of the moment. More often than not, these become equally as fun as some of my more "serious" decks, and they often earn a special place in my heart. To show you how easy it is, I'll write this as I navigate EDHREC and show you how simple building a deck can be. Let's begin, shall we?</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Roll of the Dice</h2>
<p>Let me show you one of the least-talked-about-yet-most-amazing features of EDHREC: the <strong>Random Commander</strong> button! All you need to do is click on the <strong>Commander</strong> section on the top of the browser and go down to <strong>Random</strong>. Clicking on this will redirect you to our new commander. If you're not sure where to go, here's a quick image for you:</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/70249591_371108943773515_9150263082067427328_n.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-39300 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/70249591_371108943773515_9150263082067427328_n.jpg" alt="" width="219" height="260" /></a></p>
<p>Why is this one of the best sections of the site? It does seem kind of odd that I'm boasting about random features in a data-driven article from a data-driven website. The thing is, it can really spice up your playgroup, especially if you're looking for something new. EDH has a lot of benefits to it, but one of its biggest issues is that it doesn't really have an excuse to casually draft or brew the way some of the other formats do. Typically when you're building an EDH deck, you're going 120% to ensure it's the best deck it can be, no matter the direction you're going with it.</p>
<p>However, getting a few friends to agree on a super budget for deckbuilding can be a ton of fun! Spending no more than $60 to build an on-the-fly casual deck evokes that feeling of suspense and anticipation of not knowing how the deck will turn out. Sure, some of you might be reading the $60 pricetag and think it's a bit much, and, well, it is, or at least it can be for some. However, those who've been playing EDH for an extended period of time may understand the staleness that can come from playing the same decks over and over. $60 becomes less heavy when you consider it an admission fee for a few weekends of fun! Plus, you can get yourself a few cheap staples you might have been holding out on for one reason or another.</p>
<p>Anyways, enough talk. Let's press this <strong>Random Commander</strong> button and see what we get!</p>
<hr />
<h2>When You Fail to Appease the Chaos Gods</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nebuchadnezzar"></div></div>
<p>What? OH COME ON! What even is this stupid thing? I can't even pronounce it or read what it does. Give me a second to Google this... Oh. Apparently he's a Babylonian King. Neat. Wait a second! Isn't this the ship from <em>The Matrix</em> as well? I'm pretty sure that means I can pull a Neo and take the red pill to get myself a new card. No, no... a deal is a deal. Let's head over to <a href="https://scryfall.com/card/me3/162/nebuchadnezzar">Scryfall</a> to check out the Oracle errata text to see what he does:</p>
<blockquote><p><img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?size=small&amp;name=X&amp;type=symbol" alt="Variable Colorless" align="bottom" />, <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?size=small&amp;name=tap&amp;type=symbol" alt="Tap" align="bottom" />: Choose a card name. Target opponent reveals X cards at random from their hand. Then that player discards all cards with that name revealed this way. Activate this ability only during your turn.</p></blockquote>
<p>Yes, it's hand hate! This is actually a great thing we've stumbled upon! Sure, hand hate isn't normally that great in regular EDH, even by casual standards. However, keep in mind that we're going super budget and completely random. This can actually be one of the most unique decks one could possibly slap on the table for a group of budget decks. What would be the odds of getting anything even remotely similar from the giant pool of commanders out there? Okay, I'm actually super excited about this now! So what are we going to do?</p>
<hr />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Telepathy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glasses of Urza"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seer&#039;s Vision"></div></div>
<p>Since I'm unfamiliar with this commander, I'm going to take a peek at our commander's <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/nebuchadnezzar">page</a> for more information. Because this article's hitting new levels of casual discussion, I'll be honest and blunt with you: some might say that we're just net decking, like it's a bad thing. However, such a statement is entirely untrue: there's nothing wrong with looking at these pages to get a general idea of what others have done with this sort of commander. For example, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Telepathy" href="#" target="_blank">Telepathy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seer&#039;s Vision" href="#" target="_blank">Seer&#039;s Vision</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> illustrate a great way to play this commander: peeking at hands! This makes sense, after all, considering that otherwise you'd have to guess what's in your opponents' hands, which is quite ineffective. However, this isn't copying and pasting other decks, is it? Now that we got the gist of things, its up to you and me to decide how we want to fully shape the deck!</p>
<hr />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Megrim"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Echo of Eons"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Deal"></div></div>
<p>So this is a little "advanced", but honestly I'm not a complete fan of just staying on the commander page on EDHREC and building a deck from there; our mission isn't to take the numbers as gospel, and we might miss some great cards that synergize with what our deck could be doing. This is especially true for less popular and older commanders, where most decklists added into EDHREC will be be few and far between, giving us a small amount of outdated information. This deck illustrates that perfectly.</p>
<p>Some of the Top Cards we'll use, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Telepathy" href="#" target="_blank">Telepathy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, though they are very rare and won't be what wins us the game. Discard is fun, but we've got to do damage, so right away on the commander page, my eyes locked on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Megrim" href="#" target="_blank">Megrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Looking at this card, we obviously need multiple versions of it. More importantly, we need ways to get that damage to happen, so I clicked on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Megrim" href="#" target="_blank">Megrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s link and went to its own page to find cards that synergize well with it. Here I found gems like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Echo of Eons" href="#" target="_blank">Echo of Eons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Deal" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Deal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, neither of which were high on our commander's page.</p>
<p>Another great discovery was <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wheel and Deal" href="#" target="_blank">Wheel and Deal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! Where has this been all my life? Another card that I found but that I won't add to this particular deck is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Day&#039;s Undoing" href="#" target="_blank">Day&#039;s Undoing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; it'll work like Echo for another card I have in mind, but one combo piece is enough for this casual deck! Anyways, great cards I would have completely missed if I didn't check Megrim's page. This highlights an important point about EDHREC: although it can provide some great synergies, going from top to bottom might mean you miss out on some great subthemes and give you a jumbled mess of a deck. Find out what you want to do, and then start looking at those cards that do it! Just a tip for those who use EDHREC often!</p>
<hr />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lazav, Dimir Mastermind"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindleech Mass"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wandering Eye"></div></div>
<p>The most important thing about the thing in these sorts of decks is having plenty of creatures. Let's be real, many budget decks will use combat damage as a win condition, so we've got to make sure we can defend ourselves as we mill people to death and make them discard cards.</p>
<p>Of course, since we're making people discard, this means we're also dipping a bit into people's graveyards! This makes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazav, Dimir Mastermind" href="#" target="_blank">Lazav, Dimir Mastermind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> perfect for us! If you want to add more into this kind of mechanic, you can always click on Lazav and find other similar cards on EDHREC! Personally, I just want the boardstate, so I'll leave Lazav as just a side note of the deck. Also, we kind of have a mini Specter theme going on in the EDHREC listing for our commander. I kind of like this... we should jam in as many Specters as we can find! After all, they're all good at getting people to discard their hand!</p>
<hr />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Notion Thief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Consuming Aberration"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Narset, Parter of Veils"></div></div>
<p>Now: how we win. Outside of the obvious pinging people for discarding and wheels, we have to find some nasty little combos that will devastate the entire board. Imagine having <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Parter of Veils" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Parter of Veils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and then casting a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Windfall" href="#" target="_blank">Windfall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! The game is basically over! Remember <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Echo of Eons" href="#" target="_blank">Echo of Eons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? No one else gets to draw after all! Any cards left in someone's hand after this little trick? Use your commander to discard it! Not a bad way to shut down the game until you win. I mentioned this before, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Parter of Veils" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Parter of Veils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wasn't even in EDHREC's listing for this commander. It makes sense, as it's a newer card with an older deck. However, this is why looking around is so important! Always click on the cards you like to find even more cards that go great with it! Don't just limit yourself to a single page!</p>
<p>Okay, enough chat. Let's build this deck!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Blue Pill" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Nebuchadnezzar
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Fleet Swallower
*1 Hypnotic Specter
*1 Liliana&#039;s Specter
*1 Wandering Eye
*1 Liliana&#039;s Reaver
*1 Mindleech Mass
*1 Banshee of the Dread Choir
*1 Doomsday Specter
*1 Dimir Cutpurse
*1 Fell Specter
*1 Abyssal Specter
*1 Urgoros, the Empty One
*1 Jace&#039;s Archivist
*1 Guiltfeeder
*1 Dinrova Horror
*1 Lazav, Dimir Mastermind
*1 Guul Draz Specter
*1 Hollow Specter
*1 Siren of the Silent Song
*1 Consuming Aberration
*1 Notion Thief
*1 Ghastlord of Fugue
*1 Blizzard Specter
*1 Scythe Specter
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Peek
*1 Lay Bare
*1 Spy Network
*1 Wheel and Deal
*1 Treacherous Urge
*1 Murder
*1 Negate
*1 Psychic Strike
*1 Dream Salvage
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Hymn to Tourach
*1 Unnerve
*1 Harsh Scrutiny
*1 Thoughtseize
*1 Traumatize
*1 Echo of Eons
*1 Tasigur&#039;s Cruelty
*1 Duress
*1 Delirium Skeins
*1 Consult the Necrosages
*1 Whispering Madness
*1 Dark Deal
*1 Windfall
*1 Thought Erasure
*1 Divest
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Cursed Rack
*1 Geth&#039;s Grimoire
*1 Glasses of Urza
*1 Wheel of Torture
*1 Skullcage
*1 The Rack
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Planeswalker&#039;s Mischief
*1 Telepathy
*1 Seer&#039;s Vision
*1 Zur&#039;s Weirding
*1 Larceny
*1 Megrim
*1 Bottomless Pit
*1 Raiders&#039; Wake
*1 Shrieking Affliction
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Narset, Parter of Veils
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*17 Island
*17 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>I'm actually pretty happy with this deck; even without overly trying to stick to a budget, it hit barely $60 without extensive shopping. Getting accurate prices is difficult sometimes as it seems the 'low' default price is often 25 cents. Looking briefly, you can easily adjust this deck to be even cheaper or move things around. I'm just sad I couldn't fit in some cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Waste Not" href="#" target="_blank">Waste Not</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which are super expensive for budget purposes, but which demonstrate some fun upgrade paths if you're willing to go farther with it.</p>
<p>Honestly, I might just keep this deck, silly as it is. It really does something different from most, all while keeping up a presence and keeping constant threat. Most importantly, though, it does something fairly unique: keeping an eye on everyone's hand! As briefly mentioned before, there are only a few enchantments that keep hands revealed, but it's great when you draw them and get to police everyone's plays!</p>
<p>What did you think? Have you ever used the <strong>Random</strong> button before? If not, I hope this motivated you to give it a try! Spin that wheel and see what the EDHREC gods bring you!</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/random/">Try it out here!</a></p>
<p>Until next time,</p>
<p>Kya</p>


Turning Data into Decks - Throwing It All in the Air!

Epic Experiment - Bolas's Citadel

Pursuit of Knowledge - Dimir

Unlikely Alliance – Kraum &#038; Silas

Conditions Allow - Merieke ri Berit

<h1>Happy New Year!!!</h1>
<p>Fun fact: did you know the art in my banner for this article is from an actual card? It's an old version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clone" href="#" target="_blank">Clone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it's less then a quarter! In the spirit of cosplay, and becoming a copy of something else, I thought this was worth sharing. (If anything, it's probably the most insightful information this article is likely to provide!)</p>
<p>Anyway, has anyone else prepared some New Year's Resolutions? I know I have. Oftentimes life can get busy with just managing bills and work, and true goals can be sidetracked as a result. I've kept up on my passions in 2018 with cosplay and EDH, but I definitely haven't accomplished anywhere near enough. This year, I've put in some simple goals to ensure that even at my laziest, I'll definitely beat last year by a long mile. I've got some cosplays ready to go and plenty of 3D-printed goodies coming out!</p>
<p>Speaking of last year, I forgot to show off some pictures of our EDH Scavenger Hunt! This year we had some heavy downpour but it definitely didn't stop plenty of hardcore participants! The turnout was great and a lot of people walked away with plenty of prizes!</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26493" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/1-1-Copy-2.jpg" alt="" width="452" height="234" /></p>
<p>We had far too many cards to give away! I enjoyed doing a lazy girl Nissa cosplay as we passed out countless cards for those willing to brave the elements.</p>
<p>Because of the turnout we had to have multiple stations to satiate the scavengers in a timely manner. No matter how many times we do this, we are always surprised on how much manpower is needed for these events.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26494" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/1-1-Copy-3.jpg" alt="" width="326" height="238" /></p>
<p>Finally, there were plenty of other prizes to be won outside of the scavenge itself. The tournament proceeded after the hunt and had several prizes, which depended on the players' selections. I'm glad we had so many female players again this year, as there was plenty of jewelry to go with the loot!</p>
<p>Another fun fact: the same person who won the Bolas Trophy last time won it again this year. I think they're starting a collection at this point!</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26496" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/1-1-Copy.jpg" alt="" width="366" height="161" /></p>
<p>That's enough about the past though. It's time to move forward! Today's article is a nice step toward my ever-increasing goal to maximize the most out of life!</p>
<hr />
<h2>The OG Cosplayer?</h2>
<p>Because I'm focusing on my hobbies more this year, I thought it would be fun to once again to merge multiple things I love doing! This month is going to involve mixing Cosplay and EDH! Although I definitely wouldn't call myself a professional cosplayer, it's something I love doing, so much so that it became one of the reasons I moved to Orlando. However, the occasional convention just isn't enough.</p>
<p>Let's add some cosplay magic into <em>Magic!</em> Who will handle the mantle of the ultimate cosplayer in the Multiverse?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-26501" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/0-1.jpg" alt="" width="215" height="300" /></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazav, Dimir Mastermind" href="#" target="_blank">Lazav, Dimir Mastermind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! Lazav immediately become one of my favorite commanders when I first discovered them. Imagine how easy it would be to cosplay as your favorite characters when you can simply just turn into them!</p>
<p>I actually had a Lazav deck a long time ago, but had to quickly take it apart due to how powerful it was. Well, let me rephrase that, actually, as I'm sure many are confused by that statement. I had to take it apart because it caused a lot of grief as a very target-specific and therefore oppressive deck. If I knew you had goodies in your deck, I would gun you down to share in your wealth! The fact that Lazav was untouchably hexproof and ad access to counterspells didn't help matters, either. Lazav was made in a time where everyone was playing giant Eldrazi Titans and other horrible creatures that would end games in a single swoop. However, now Lazav has finally gone through his angry teenage phase and is ready to let his hair down (but never his hood). Let's find a way to make a fairly casual Lazav.</p>
<p>The name of the game is simple. Mill opponents and steal their special ingredients that make their own decks frightening to their owners. Lazav hits a strange sweet spot; you play the deck like a mill deck, but you don't have to actually worry about emptying everyone's decks into the graveyard pile. I'm sure many who try to find a mill option in EDH are quickly frustrated by the lack of mill power in a format with 99-card decks. However, with this brew, we should be able to satisfy our desire to mill one or two players, and crushing whoever is left!</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Supporting Cast</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26499" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/000-1.jpg" alt="" width="201" height="280" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26500" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/00-1.jpg" alt="" width="201" height="280" /><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26505" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/00000000000000000000000000000000000.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="279" /></p>
<p>It won't be fun to cosplay by yourself. You need a group to enjoy the festivities with you! The great part about this sort of deck is there are plenty of support creatures who do the same thing as Lazav, becoming copies of the dead, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimir Doppelganger" href="#" target="_blank">Dimir Doppelganger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cemetery Puca" href="#" target="_blank">Cemetery Puca</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Body Double" href="#" target="_blank">Body Double</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Do you want to make a simple copycat deck? You can! Do you only want to include particular copy creatures that also give amazing effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evil Twin" href="#" target="_blank">Evil Twin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? You can definitely afford to be picky, as there are plenty of other cards in the Multiverse to support this theme, from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Impersonator" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Impersonator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stunt Double" href="#" target="_blank">Stunt Double</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Show Must Go On</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26506" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/0000000000000000000000000000000.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="278" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26509" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/0000000000000.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="278" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26513" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="279" /></p>
<p>Of course, for Lazav (or any graveyard-heavy deck) to work, you need plenty of cards that force cards into the graveyard! There are literally hundreds of cards to chose from, but the key is to find particular cards that either drop dozens of cards or have static effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage" href="#" target="_blank">Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Psychic Corrosion" href="#" target="_blank">Psychic Corrosion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Above are some particularly nasty cards I absolutely love. Nothing is more fun then abusing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Traumatize" href="#" target="_blank">Traumatize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! Imagine cursing someone with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fraying Sanity" href="#" target="_blank">Fraying Sanity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and then dropping that Traumatize bomb on them! If your friends think milling is weak, feel free to use this to remind them otherwise.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Stealing Their Hearts!</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26503" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="279" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26511" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000-1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="279" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26510" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/000000000.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="279" /></p>
<p>Now, it would be unfair to make Lazav do everything. Even if he is the best cosplayer around, we still need to fit him with some awesome outfits!</p>
<p>Some people would think that a true cosplayer would craft their own costumes. That's totally 2018. Now it's all about stealing everyone else's cosplay! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bribery" href="#" target="_blank">Bribery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is for when you get tired of trying to search for someone's Eldrazi as card after card goes into the graveyard. Just pull the ultimate card out of someone's deck and take all the credit for yourself! It's especially rude if you take their win condition away from them and use it against them! Like milling itself, you have plenty of options for stealing more than just creatures.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Break a Leg!</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26512" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000-2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="279" /><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26508" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/00000000000000000000.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="278" /><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-26507" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/00000000000000000000000000.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="278" /></p>
<p>Finally we have the infinite combos. Because... well we always need an infinite combo, don't we? As usual I typically limit these kinds of combos to 1-2 different sets of cards, so it's fair for everyone. Although I can go through the deck fairly quickly with how it's built, without tutors I don't think it's very mean. It also gives the deck something to look for when I'm facing decks that could care less if I steal from them (looking at you, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ezuri, Renegade Leader" href="#" target="_blank">Ezuri, Renegade Leader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<p>Below is the complete deck. It might look a bit of a mess, divided between milling and copying, but that's half the point. It has fun doing both those things! Winning is a bonus to the mayhem of copying all the creatures and spells you can!</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Cosplay King" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Lazav, Dimir Mastermind
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Dreamborn Muse
*1 Duskmantle Guildmage
*1 Havengul Lich
*1 Evil Twin
*1 Identity Thief
*1 Cemetery Puca
*1 Nightveil Specter
*1 Gilded Drake
*1 Fleet Swallower
*1 Wrexial, the Risen Deep
* Consuming Aberration
*1 Guiltfeeder
*1 Nemesis of Reason
*1 Sepulchral Primordial
*1 Dimir Doppelganger
*1 Clever Impersonator
*1 Phantasmal Image
*1 Phyrexian Metamorph
*1 Jace&#039;s Archivist
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Mana Drain
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Fact or Fiction
*1 Lim-Dul&#039;s Vault
*1 Psychic Strike
*1 Swan Song
*1 Desertion
*1 Memory Plunder
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Mind Grind
*1 Mind Funeral
*1 Life&#039;s Finale
*1 Telemin Performance
*1 Startled Awake
*1 Stolen Identity
*1 Increasing Confusion
*1 Traumatize
*1 Whispering Madness
*1 Extract from Darkness
*1 Rise of the Dark Realms
*1 Bribery
*1 Praetor&#039;s Grasp
*1 Mnemonic Betrayal
*1 Rite of Replication
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Altar of the Brood
*1 Thran Dynamo
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Altar of Dementia
*1 Mindcrank
*1 Mesmeric Orb
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Bloodchief Ascension
*1 Fraying Sanity
*1 Patient Rebuilding
*1 Psychic Corrosion
*1 Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage
*1 Animate Dead
*1 Memory Erosion
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Jace, Memory Adept
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Underground River
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Tainted Isle
*1 Sunken Ruins
*1 Morphic Pool
*1 Dimir Aqueduct
*12 Island
*12 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div></span></p>
<hr />
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>I hope everyone enjoyed one of our first articles for the new year! I think I should probably close with a thank you for all your support in 2018. Remember those awesome Sensei's Divining Tops I've posted a few times?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-26514" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/8.jpg" alt="" width="189" height="245" /></p>
<p>Well now I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway for all those who don't have a 3D printer of their own to access. Entering is simple! Like and Retweet the following <a href="https://twitter.com/kya_vess/status/1079407709231943681">Tweet</a> for a chance to win! Read this too late? No worries. This will be the first of many giveaways, I promise!</p>
<p>Keep your hobby lifestyle strong! Life is far too short to only work yourself to the end of the race, after all.</p>
<p>Love,</p>
<p>Kya</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-26497" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/1-1-1.jpg" alt="" width="224" height="300" /></p>


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