Replacement Commanders - The Fairest of Phyrexian Mana

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maalfeld Twins" href="#" target="_blank">Maalfeld Twins</a> | Art by <a href="http://www.sassart.com/">Mike Sass</a>)</h6>
<h1>The Shadow Queen's Army</h1>
At long last, we return to another Forgotten Harvest, where we take a closer look at cards that see play in 300 decks or less on EDHREC, and using them to construct an interesting deck. This week, we're taking a deep dive into the darkness with a mono-black build based around <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ayara, First of Locthwain" href="#" target="_blank">Ayara, First of Locthwain</a>.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ayara, First of Locthwain"></div></div>
As you could probably guess from the card, this deck is going to focus heavily on getting black creatures into play and leeching our opponents dry with Ayara's first ability. Additionally, the deck is going to have some ways to get creatures back from the graveyard to make them targets to sacrifice for Ayara's second ability, which draws us cards... which finds us was to get our creatures back... to sacrifice for more cards! This deck will play slowly, constantly pecking away at life totals until we're finally victorious! I also snuck in some great goodies which you can really only play in mono-black.
In order to maximize the options for cards with small deck counts, I intentionally stayed away from any tribal synergies; however, if you find tribal decks appealing, I would highly recommend settling on either Zombies or Rat theme, as there are plenty more support cards.
<hr />
<h2>A Token of My Appreciation</h2>
First, we should talk about the most efficient method for getting creatures into play: generating tokens.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Maalfeld Twins"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wakedancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nested Ghoul"></div></div>
First up in the token-makers category are the pair <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maalfeld Twins" href="#" target="_blank">Maalfeld Twins</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grixis Slavedriver" href="#" target="_blank">Grixis Slavedriver</a> (147 and 102 decks, respectively). It's obvious that we're going to be sacrificing a lot of creatures to Ayara to replenish our hand, so getting some tokens out of it (and some more life from our opponents) is ideal. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maalfeld Twins" href="#" target="_blank">Maalfeld Twins</a> allows us two extra for the price of one, and the Slavedriver can also come back in a pinch using its Unearth ability. Also note that <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grixis Slavedriver" href="#" target="_blank">Grixis Slavedriver</a> triggers on leaving the battlefield, not dying. That can definitely make a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a> not as bad!
Speaking of sacrificing creatures, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wakedancer" href="#" target="_blank">Wakedancer</a> can get us an extra body if there's been some of that the turn it hits play. Found in 83 decks, this card is a cheap way to produce a token in black. Given the high mana cost of other black body-makers, she's a welcome addition that won't require a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Charcoal Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Charcoal Diamond</a> or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jet Medallion" href="#" target="_blank">Jet Medallion</a> to get out early. Plus, triggering upon entering the battlefield also works well when playing against bounce effects.
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nested Ghoul" href="#" target="_blank">Nested Ghoul</a> provides a third flavor of black token production, creating a 2/2 Zombie whenever it takes damage. While this isn't exactly ideal, given the sacrifice theme of this deck, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nested Ghoul" href="#" target="_blank">Nested Ghoul</a> is content to hit the bin the old-fashioned way, through combat damage. This should mean it replaces itself, at worst. Maybe it's even a reason to run <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pestilence" href="#" target="_blank">Pestilence</a>-type cards in the deck, to maximize token generation. The Ghoul is currently in 55 decks on EDHREC.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Carrion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lab Rats"></div></div>
Creatures aren't the only way black can make tokens. It can instead use a card like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carrion" href="#" target="_blank">Carrion</a> from Mirage. Played in 177 decks, this card serves as the inspiration for this deck. I've been waiting for a commander to provide <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carrion" href="#" target="_blank">Carrion</a> a happy home, and Ayara does just that! Imagine sacrificing your <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maalfeld Twins" href="#" target="_blank">Maalfeld Twins</a> and netting six tokens and a six-point life swing at the table! Being an instant just makes this card even better, and I like it in any black deck that cares about getting creatures into play. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teysa Karlov" href="#" target="_blank">Teysa Karlov</a> probably likes it as well!
Back in Stronghold, we saw the original version of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Recruit the Worthy" href="#" target="_blank">Recruit the Worthy</a>. It's a black card by the name of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lab Rats" href="#" target="_blank">Lab Rats</a>, and it sees play in only 173 decks. This card is a staple for me when I need endless chump-blockers or when I'm going Rat tribal. In this deck, it's a great repeatable way to trigger Ayara and provide her some fodder for card draw turn after turn. This card is a favorite of mine, and I feel like it's not seeing enough play for for its power level. Please consider it so that it winds up in more than 300 decks and I don't get to write about it anymore.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Infernal Genesis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cellar Door"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breeding Pit"></div></div>
Already, there are several token-making cards that are becoming staples for <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ayara, First of Locthwain" href="#" target="_blank">Ayara, First of Locthwain</a> decks, including <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plague of Vermin" href="#" target="_blank">Plague of Vermin</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tombstone Stairwell" href="#" target="_blank">Tombstone Stairwell</a>. But I think <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Genesis" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Genesis</a> (203 decks) is also doing what these cards are doing, and is worth taking a look at. Adding recursion options to your graveyard while (hopefully) making a boatload of Minion tokens that trigger Ayara is exactly what we want! I'm not going to argue that <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plague of Vermin" href="#" target="_blank">Plague of Vermin</a> isn't better, because that card is exactly what Ayara is looking for. However, I will say that <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Genesis" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Genesis</a> should still make your list.
My love of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cellar Door" href="#" target="_blank">Cellar Door</a> is tough to contain. While I prefer it in <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grenzo, Dungeon Warden" href="#" target="_blank">Grenzo, Dungeon Warden</a> builds or those containing <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reito Lantern" href="#" target="_blank">Reito Lantern</a>, it's also a great option here to either mill yourself or an opponent and have a chance a token that triggers Ayara. It only sees play in 257 decks, but I sincerely believe that number should be over 1,000 given the strength and versatility displayed on <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cellar Door" href="#" target="_blank">Cellar Door</a>. Please keep it on your radar in the future!
Lastly for the token-makers, we have Thrull generator <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breeding Pit" href="#" target="_blank">Breeding Pit</a>. While I'm not crazy about the constant cost to keep it on the field, this is about as close as I can find to a second copy of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ophiomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Ophiomancer</a> for the deck, and you all know how I love deck redundancy! Eventually, I'd like to try a Thrull tribal deck, and this card will be an immediate addition to it. For now, though, it just sees play in 187 decks.
<hr />
<h2>Sacrifice Outlets</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malevolent Awakening"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cabal Patriarch"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dross Harvester"></div></div>
Now that we've covered how we're going to make all of Ayara's minions, let's talk about how we can put those minions to work. The name of the game is going to be "sacrifice". Much like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ayara, First of Locthwain" href="#" target="_blank">Ayara, First of Locthwain</a>'s second ability, we want to have ways to turn these tokens into some card advantage. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malevolent Awakening" href="#" target="_blank">Malevolent Awakening</a> can provide that by allowing us to trade a creature in play for a creature back in hand. Played in 196 decks, this is one of the staple recursion options I use in my Commander brews. I remember sticking this in decks as a kid when <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oversold Cemetery" href="#" target="_blank">Oversold Cemetery</a> was too far outside of my budget.
Another sacrifice option from Odyssey is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Patriarch" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Patriarch</a>. While expensive to cast, this card provides a sizable body and a repeatable creature removal for a fair cost. The ability to turn creatures in your graveyard into further removal is really what sells it for me. I'm surprised it's only in 44 decks, either as the commander or in the 99.
While not actually a sacrifice outlet, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dross Harvester" href="#" target="_blank">Dross Harvester</a> plays well with those cards that do cause loss of creatures. Despite the four life lost each time around the table, with enchantments like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Pact" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Pact</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dictate of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Dictate of Erebos</a> in play, you'll be able to get that life back and then some. I think 268 decks is far too few for this underplayed all-star!
<hr />
<h2>Supporting Cards for Mono Black</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sengir Nosferatu"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gravestorm"></div></div>
We have two cards that don't really fit in with the sections above, but are still deserving of some attention. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sengir Nosferatu" href="#" target="_blank">Sengir Nosferatu</a> is a token generator and sacrifice outlet all in one! Played in only 105 decks, this Vampire can transform into a Bat token for 1B, then back into a Vamp for another 1B, allowing for two triggers on Ayara. This ability can be cycled as much as needed with the commander in play, and provides a two-card mana sink to drain down your opponents. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Market" href="#" target="_blank">Black Market</a> only adds to the fun! Add in the blocking shenanigans which this enables, and you end up with an excellent card to slot into this deck.
Lastly, I've been trying to find a good deck in which to slot <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravestorm" href="#" target="_blank">Gravestorm</a>, but the three black pips in its casting cost has made that difficult. Depending on your meta, please consider this enchantment for some ever-present graveyard hate which really turns on once someone's 'yard goes dry. It's especially great after a well-timed <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bojuka Bog" href="#" target="_blank">Bojuka Bog</a>.
Let's take a gander at this mono-black beast.
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"></div>
[Commander] 
*1 Ayara, First of Locthwain 
[/Commander]
[Creatures] 
*1 Deathgreeter 
*1 Mortician Beetle 
*1 Blood Artist 
*1 Zulaport Cutthroat 
*1 Dross Harvester 
*1 Flesh Carver 
*1 Mardu Strike Leader 
*1 Midnight Reaper 
*1 Ophiomancer 
*1 Priest of Gix 
*1 Wakedancer 
*1 Disciple of Bolas 
*1 Falkenrath Noble 
*1 Gravedigger 
*1 Marsh Flitter 
*1 Mindslicer 
*1 Mortivore 
*1 Sengir Autocrat 
*1 Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder 
*1 Ghoulcaller Gisa 
*1 Krav, the Unredeemed 
*1 Nested Ghoul 
*1 Ogre Slumlord 
*1 Sadistic Hypnotist 
*1 Sengir Nosferatu 
*1 Cabal Patriarch 
*1 Grave Titan 
*1 Grixis Slavedriver 
*1 Maalfeld Twins 
*1 Noosegraf Mob 
*1 Skeletal Vampire 
[/Creatures]
[Instants] 
*1 Go for the Throat 
*1 Carrion 
[/Instants]
[Sorceries] 
*1 Lab Rats 
*1 Spark Harvest 
*1 Damnation 
*1 Plague of Vermin 
*1 Decree of Pain 
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts] 
*1 Skullclamp 
*1 Sol Ring 
*1 Charcoal Diamond 
*1 Jet Medallion 
*1 Nim Deathmantle 
*1 Bontu's Monument 
*1 Cellar Door 
*1 Commander's Sphere 
*1 Crawlspace 
*1 Gate to the Afterlife 
*1 Lashwrithe 
*1 Phyrexian Processor 
*1 God-Pharaoh's Gift 
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments] 
*1 Dreadhorde Invasion 
*1 Gravestorm 
*1 Malevolent Awakening 
*1 Breeding Pit 
*1 Grave Pact 
*1 Rite of Belzenlok 
*1 Tombstone Stairwell 
*1 Black Market 
*1 Open the Graves 
*1 Infernal Genesis 
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers] 
*1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General 
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands] 
*1 Barren Moor 
*1 Bojuka Bog 
*1 Cabal Coffers 
*1 Cabal Stronghold 
*1 Castle Locthwain 
*1 Crypt of Agadeem 
*1 Polluted Mire 
*26 Swamp 
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 
*1 Westvale Abbey 
*1 Witch's Cottage 
[/Lands]
[/Deck]

<hr />
<h2>Are You Afraid of the Dark?</h2>
Thanks for digging into all the hyper-underplayed, token-centric options available to black. Any questions, comments, or snide remarks? You know where to leave them below. I'll be around to discuss just how good making this deck tribal can be, alternatives for some of the more expensive cards that made my list, or all the fun I had at the Seattle Lego convention a few weeks ago. Until next time, may your devotion to black remain strong!

Forgotten Harvest - Ayara and Her Minions

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a> | Art by <a href="https://www.chasestoneart.com/">Chase Stone</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo Melibeu, and this is Epic Experiment, 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.
<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/epic-experiment-living-end-anje/">Last article</a>, we built a deck with one of the most infamous commanders from Commander 2019, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anje Falkenrath" href="#" target="_blank">Anje Falkenrath</a>. In this article, let's take on yet another of the most infamous commanders from the set. Yes, I'm talking about the daddy's boy himself, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a>!
<img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=470564&amp;type=card" alt="K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" />
&nbsp;
Lifelink
For each {B} in a cost, you may pay 2 life rather than pay that mana
Whenever you cast a black spell, put a +1/+1 counter on K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
Observation 1:
It's easy to see what all the fuss is about; his first ability is extremely powerful, especially in a color as versatile as black.
Observation 2:
There are plenty of powerful spells and effects that have several {B} pips in their costs, such as <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necropotence" href="#" target="_blank">Necropotence</a> or even <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas&#039;s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas&#039;s Citadel</a>, that we could take advantage of.
Observation 3:
His first and third abilities are really powerful because, as he grows bigger, he gains you more life with the damage he deals, allowing you to cast more black spells using life as a resource, making him bigger... you see where I'm going with this?
Observation 4:
He's best buddies with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vilis, Broker of Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Vilis, Broker of Blood</a>.
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Krrik.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-39549" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Krrik.png" alt="" width="709" height="368" /></a>
The High Synergy section of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a>'s page shows how cutthroat the average list is. With cards like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tendrils of Agony" href="#" target="_blank">Tendrils of Agony</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a>, we can see that this leads into <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grapeshot" href="#" target="_blank">stormy</a> territory.
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=209049&amp;type=card" alt="Tainted Strike" /> <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=220387&amp;type=card" alt="Skeletal Grimace" /> <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=23043&amp;type=card" alt="Shade's Form" />
While K'rrik's mana acceleration ability is certainly powerful, his second ability caught my eye because it has all the potential for a potent Voltron commander. With his mana-evasion ability, being able to pay for Auras and combat tricks at a discounted rate is incredibly powerful, especially on a commander with a slightly-higher-than-average casting cost of seven mana (or four mana and six life).
There're three main points that every Voltron deck needs to address to be effective: power, evasion, and protection. The first of these correlates to the faster clock that you as the Voltron player will be on to knock other players out, and usually 7+ power, which will allow three-hit kills, is what we should be shooting for. The second point is pivotal: each combat step is crucial for a Voltron deck because if you're not able to connect with your opponents, you have no chance of winning the game. Finally, by definition, our deck is going to revolve around our commander; if we have to keep casting him over and over again, even with the Phyrexian mana, he'll soon be prohibitively expensive and our win con goes out the window.
If we want to reduce the number of times we need to hit our opponents, why not reduce the amount of damage that we need to do? Infect can most certainly draw the ire of the table, but hopefully you can curry some political favor to avoid immediately becoming the target of the table. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyresis" href="#" target="_blank">Phyresis</a> is straightforward: K'rrik now has Infect. But why not Infect and a power boost? <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grafted Exoskeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Grafted Exoskeleton</a> gives Infect and +2/+2. If K'rrik stays suited up, your opponents are in real trouble.
Whether or not K'rrik has Infect, firebreathing effects like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Midnight Covenant" href="#" target="_blank">Midnight Covenant</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shade&#039;s Form" href="#" target="_blank">Shade&#039;s Form</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul Kiss" href="#" target="_blank">Soul Kiss</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shade&#039;s Breath" href="#" target="_blank">Shade&#039;s Breath</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hatred" href="#" target="_blank">Hatred</a>, are great for this build since, being in black, they allow us to trade our life for our opponents', but since K'rrik has lifelink, we come out ahead on that exchange.
<img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=429909&amp;type=card" alt="Untamed Hunger" /> <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=121257&amp;type=card" alt="Rime Transfusion" /> <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=446016&amp;type=card" alt="Inner Demon" />
For evasion we have several different options: <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inner Demon" href="#" target="_blank">Inner Demon</a> is a fun card that can clear the way while also giving our commander flying; <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rime Transfusion" href="#" target="_blank">Rime Transfusion</a> is a great way to guarantee that we'll never get blocked; and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aphotic Wisps" href="#" target="_blank">Aphotic Wisps</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nighthaze" href="#" target="_blank">Nighthaze</a> are interesting additions because they're free cantrips that grow our commander while giving him evasion.
To protect K'rrik, there are plenty of regeneration effects, which can be somewhat risky since they don't protect us from exile removals or the iconic <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a>. We have a few combat tricks that can regenerate our commander, like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boon of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Boon of Erebos</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unnatural Endurance" href="#" target="_blank">Unnatural Endurance</a>, each of which can be played for free, a very effective method of catching people off guard. Also, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unlikely Aid" href="#" target="_blank">Unlikely Aid</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rush of Vitality" href="#" target="_blank">Rush of Vitality</a> grant indestructible at instant speed.
For standalone threats, we have a few angles of attack, from directly interacting with life totals with cards like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Essence Harvest" href="#" target="_blank">Essence Harvest</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a>, to a few other alternative Voltrons, like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon</a> or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erebos, God of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Erebos, God of the Dead</a>.
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="K’ rrik Voltron" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
[/Commander]
[Enchantment]
*Demonic Vigor
*Gruesome Deformity
*Molting Snakeskin
*Predator&#039;s Gambit
*Unholy Strength
*Vampiric Link
*Dark Favor
*Dragon Shadow
*Fear
*Midnight Covenant
*Phyresis
*Rime Transfusion
*Scourgemark
*Skeletal Grimace
*Strength of Lunacy
*Phyrexian Arena
*Shade&#039;s Form
*Soul Kiss
*Untamed Hunger
*Vow of Malice
*Feast of the Unicorn
*Greed
*Inner Demon
*Vampiric Embrace
[/Enchantment]
[Artifact]
*Everflowing Chalice
*Sol Ring
*Charcoal Diamond
*Coldsteel Heart
*Fellwar Stone
*Jet Medallion
*Mind Stone
*Prismatic Lens
*Prowler&#039;s Helm
*Thought Vessel
*Trailblazer&#039;s Boots
*Darksteel Plate
*Haunted Cloak
*Sword of Truth and Justice
*Sword of Vengeance
*Grafted Exoskeleton
*Hedron Archive
*Caged Sun
*The Immortal Sun
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*Aphotic Wisps
*Boon of Erebos
*Tainted Strike
*Unnatural Endurance
*Go for the Throat
*Rush of Vitality
*Shade&#039;s Breath
*Unlikely Aid
*Butcher&#039;s Glee
*Hero&#039;s Downfall
*Hatred
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Nighthaze
*Exsanguinate
*Night&#039;s Whisper
*Sign in Blood
*Dead of Winter
*Essence Harvest
*Toxic Deluge
[/Sorcery]
[Creature]
*Erebos, God of the Dead
*Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
*Vilis, Broker of blood
[/Creature]
[Land]
*Cabal Coffers
*Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*Barren Moor
*Shizo, Death&#039;s Storehouse
*Ghost Quarter
*Tectonic Edge
*Scrying Sheets
*Rogue&#039;s Passage
*Myriad Landscape
*26 Snow-Covered Swamp
[/Land]"></div>

<hr />
K'rrik has a few key points that makes him different from other Voltron commanders: he's slow, but because of his mana acceleration ability, he catches up pretty quickly. Given that, he values card draw pretty highly.
<img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=439844&amp;type=card" alt="The Immortal Sun" /> <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=433160&amp;type=card" alt="Sword of Vengeance" /> <a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Sword-of-Truth-and-Justice.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-39587" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Sword-of-Truth-and-Justice.png" alt="" width="224" height="313" /></a>
Artifacts are a necessary evil for mono-colored decks; they'll cover our general weakness while contributing to our gameplan, but we need to be careful to maintain a critical amount of black spells. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Immortal Sun" href="#" target="_blank">The Immortal Sun</a> is an all-around killer in this deck, as it basically gives us everything that we can possibly want: a nice influx of cards, a colorless cost reduction so we can play our spells for free, and an anthem for K'rrik and any other creatures we may end up with on the battlefield. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Truth and Justice" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Truth and Justice</a> is a powerhouse; especially with the number of Infect enablers and +1/+1 counters we have, we'll be gaining a lot of value if we have access to a constant Proliferate source.
<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
For our opening hand, mana rocks, a few Auras, and maybe some way to draw cards. We can afford to play mana rocks and draw for a few turns in the early game, but this type of opening needs a follow up, or we might fall behind. Playing Equipment a bit later might be a better idea because they're likely to waste our whole turn, otherwise.
For the mid-game we should start becoming the threat. At this point in the game it's important to keep up in cards, but K'rrik's safety should always be our priority. This is the point of the game where that we start killing our opponents; a clean early kill is a good way to disrupt the board since it's one less player you need to have answers for.
<img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=212249&amp;type=card" alt="Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon" /> <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=210235&amp;type=card" alt="Exsanguinate" /> <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=271114&amp;type=card" alt="Essence Harvest" />
The late game can find us in a tough position, since we don't have many haste enablers, and the ones that we do have are equipment and have equip costs attached to them, so we shouldn't count on our commander for a surprise attack. Luckily for us, we have a few other ways to win, like a big <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a> or even an armed <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon</a>.
<hr />
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=438664&amp;type=card" alt="Necropotence" /> <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=389639&amp;type=card" alt="Pontiff of Blight" /> <img decoding="async" src="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=220088&amp;type=card" alt="Drifting Shade" />
Investing on Extort creatures seems like a good addition to the deck; of these, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crypt Ghast" href="#" target="_blank">Crypt Ghast</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pontiff of Blight" href="#" target="_blank">Pontiff of Blight</a> are some of the more playable ones.
Another fun subtheme that we could consider is Shade tribal. Shades usually have a temporary pump ability, so having some evasive ones, like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drifting Shade" href="#" target="_blank">Drifting Shade</a>, can help us finish off games with our commander out.
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necropotence" href="#" target="_blank">Necropotence</a> is a card that I deliberately left out of the list; sure, it's great with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a>, but I don't think that it's a fun card.
That’s it for this Epic Experiment! What do you think about this list? Did we make daddy Yawgmoth proud? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which didn’t you? Was the Epic Experiment a success? Please let me know in the comments below!

Epic Experiment- K'rrik Voltron

Conditions Allow - Tetzimoc, Primal Death

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician" href="#" target="_blank">Yawgmoth, Thran Physician</a> | Art by <a href="http://markwintersart.com/">Mark Winters</a>)</h6>
<h1>Commander Horizons</h1>
I know, it's cheeky to call the Modern Horizons set "Commander Horizons" instead, but let's be honest, there are some extremely cool cards coming up in this set that we EDH players should be very excited for! We have returning mechanics, awesome lore characters, and even support for cool tribes.
Today I'm lucky to talk about the very best cards from Modern Horizons. Why are they the very best? Because these are the black cards, and black cards are the best! Let's get digging.
<hr />
<h2>Mythics</h2>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Yawgmoth, Thran Physician</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician"></div></div>
Hold on, I am trying to collect my thoughts that do not just jumble together into drool over this card. It's rare to see a card that checks so many boxes. He's powerful, he's a value engine, and he's a Vorthos home-run, right down to the protection from Humans.
As a card in the 99, expect to see him follow a similar trajectory to <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yahenni, Undying Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Yahenni, Undying Partisan</a>. Commanders like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meren of Clan Nel Toth" href="#" target="_blank">Meren of Clan Nel Toth</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teysa Karlov" href="#" target="_blank">Teysa Karlov</a> are always happy to have additional sacrifice outlets, especially when those sacrifice outselts also help draw cards, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons" href="#" target="_blank">Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons</a> couldn't be happier to see all those -1/-1 counters.
At the helm of the 99, look to <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder" href="#" target="_blank">Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder</a> and friends for inspiration. Creatures like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ophiomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Ophiomancer</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pawn of Ulamog" href="#" target="_blank">Pawn of Ulamog</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a> present excellent choices for sacrifice fodder. Of course, Yawgmoth isn't one to be pigeonholed into a singular strategy. Yawgmoth can turn tokens into card advantage, but with that Proliferate ability, he can also become a home for mono-black superfriends, or a very dastardly Infect commander. I fully expect him and Urza to battle for the #1 spot on the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders#pastmonth">Top Commanders</a> pages for quite some time.
<hr />
<h2>Rares</h2>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Cabal Therapist</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cabal Therapist"></div></div>
One of the first cards previewed for the set, this card is designed more for Modern than Commander, where it's much more realistic to blindly guess cards your opponents have in hand. It's possible Therapist could find a spot in metas who know each other's decks very well, or in some <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Telepathy" href="#" target="_blank">Telepathy</a>-inclusive <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sen Triplets" href="#" target="_blank">Sen Triplets</a> builds, but it's not really a card for EDH.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Cordial Vampire</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cordial Vampire"></div></div>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a> sits as the second most popular commander built in the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders#past2years">past two years</a>, and with new cards like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cordial Vampire" href="#" target="_blank">Cordial Vampire</a>, I can only imagine he'll maintain that popularity. Not only will your army get bigger as enemy creatures die, but Vampires have many sacrifices outlets built into their decks, which makes this a very deadly new addition. Consider him also for decks like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elenda, the Dusk Rose" href="#" target="_blank">Elenda, the Dusk Rose</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yahenni, Undying Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Yahenni, Undying Partisan</a>.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Dead of Winter</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dead of Winter"></div></div>
Most of us have probably seen snow-covered lands a time or two, especially when someone uses them in conjunction with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Extraplanar Lens" href="#" target="_blank">Extraplanar Lens</a> to collect value no one else can take advantage of. Well, now snow decks also have a variant of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutilate" href="#" target="_blank">Mutilate</a>, one that can work in a multicolored deck with lots of snow-covered basic lands.
I want to believe there is a solid snow deck to be made, but the sad truth is that there are only 40 total snow creatures in the game, so there are very few options to run that will withstand your own <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dead of Winter" href="#" target="_blank">Dead of Winter</a>. Regardless, I can still accept this as a cheaper, more splashable <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutilate" href="#" target="_blank">Mutilate</a>.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Endling</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Endling"></div></div>
The end of a cycle! From <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Morphling" href="#" target="_blank">Morphling</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torchling" href="#" target="_blank">Torchling</a> to <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thornling" href="#" target="_blank">Thornling</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brightling" href="#" target="_blank">Brightling</a> we can rejoice at the tying up of loose threads. This is a solid battering ram against other creatures. With deathtouch and menace, it will be extremely difficult for your enemies to interact with this creature favorably in combat. Add in the Undying and it's even more of a nuisance. Unlike several others in this cycle, Endling isn't just a Shapeshifter, but has a second creature type: Zombie. As such, this may see play in some classic Zombie tribal decks like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gisa and Geralf" href="#" target="_blank">Gisa and Geralf</a> as an efficient beater and an especially irksome blocker.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Force of Despair</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Force of Despair"></div></div>
Speaking of cycles, the black part of the “Force of” cycle is a doozy. The timing restrictions make it a worse rate than a traditional <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hero&#039;s Downfall" href="#" target="_blank">Hero&#039;s Downfall</a>, which can kill a creature regardless of when it entered the battlefield, but this is certainly an efficient answer to combos like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a> + <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pestermite" href="#" target="_blank">Pestermite</a> or a huge influx of tokens. Look out, bursty token decks! Otherwise, though, this is a niche meta call if you're often up against aggressive decks that summon tons of creatures in one turn, but black has many other removal spells that will occupy this slot and be more effective in the majority of traditional games.
<hr />
<h2>Everything Else</h2>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Ninjas</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Throatseeker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azra Smokeshaper"></div></div>
The community has been hungry for more Ninja cards for <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow</a> decks, and Modern Horizons has delivered! Yuriko is very aggressive, often not able to leave blockers behind, which means she can be targeted pretty easily. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throatseeker" href="#" target="_blank">Throatseeker</a> helps mitigate some of that life loss, a welcome addition. Meanwhile, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azra Smokeshaper" href="#" target="_blank">Azra Smokeshaper</a> is a tricky card that helps protect Yuriko in the combat phase. Yuriko has climbed up to the #3 most-built Dimir commander slot, and with the help of these great new Ninjas, I won't be surprised if she eventually sneaks all the way up to #1.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Zombies</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Undead Augur"></div></div>
With a tribe as deep and potent as Zombies, there's always a risk that the tribe is already overcrowded and any new cards won't be able to fight their way into decks. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undead Augur" href="#" target="_blank">Undead Augur</a>, which is basically <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Prophecy" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Prophecy</a> on legs, is potentially amazing but also potentially dangerous. Zombies are always hungry for card advantage, which could easily push this over the top, but lack of control over this ability makes me think there are better options for Zombies.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Goblins</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sling-Gang Lieutenant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warteye Witch"></div></div>
Whenever I see “Goblin” on the type line, I become very interested. Most Goblin synergies wind up in red, but <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grenzo, Dungeon Warden" href="#" target="_blank">Grenzo, Dungeon Warden</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wort, Boggart Auntie" href="#" target="_blank">Wort, Boggart Auntie</a> have well-known followings. Grenzo in particular probably represents the best synergies; Grenzo loves to sacrifice creatures, then put them on the bottom of his deck from the graveyard with things like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reito Lantern" href="#" target="_blank">Reito Lantern</a>, and cheat them right back into play with his bottom-of-the-library ability. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warteye Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Warteye Witch</a> works amazingly well here too, since she can help scry fun new targets to the bottom of the deck for Grenzo!
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Shapeshifters</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Graveshifter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Changeling Outcast"></div></div>
The Shapeshifters of this set pique my interest more than usual. This set has Goblins, Ninjas, Zombies, Vampires, and then some. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Changeling Outcast" href="#" target="_blank">Changeling Outcast</a> work amazingly well to enable Ninjutsu and to trigger Yuriko, a welcome addition. There are probably better options for recursion in black, but it's not impossible that a few tribes would enjoy a tribal <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravedigger" href="#" target="_blank">Gravedigger</a> to recur their fallen soldiers, like sacrifice-happy Vampires or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inalla, Archmage Ritualist" href="#" target="_blank">Inalla, Archmage Ritualist</a>'s ETB-triggering Wizards.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Spells</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Defile"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mind Rake"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return from Extinction"></div></div>
Of the remaining spells, the three above strike me as the most interesting in EDH. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defile" href="#" target="_blank">Defile</a> has already gotten attention in Pauper, but a single-target version of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutilate" href="#" target="_blank">Mutilate</a> for one black mana at instant speed seems great for most mono-black decks, possibly as a supplement or a replacement for the occasional <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tragic Slip" href="#" target="_blank">Tragic Slip</a>. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind Rake" href="#" target="_blank">Mind Rake</a>'s Overload ability is fun in a deck primed to abuse it, such as <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nath of the Gilt-Leaf" href="#" target="_blank">Nath of the Gilt-Leaf</a>, though it's notable that <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Delirium Skeins" href="#" target="_blank">Delirium Skeins</a> only shows up on about 600 total decks on EDHREC. Finally, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return from Extinction" href="#" target="_blank">Return from Extinction</a> is a decent recursion spell in tribal decks thanks to its low mana cost, possibly budging out any decks still playing <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aphetto Dredging" href="#" target="_blank">Aphetto Dredging</a>. For these three cards, I predict the order of popularity, from highest to lowest, is the same order the cards are displayed above.
<hr />
<h2>The Night is Darkest Just Before the Dawn</h2>
What are your favorite black cards from Modern Horizons? What cards are you putting into your decks? Are there any spicy cards I missed above? What cards are on your radar? Let me know in the comments below!

Modern Horizons Set Review - Black

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed" href="#" target="_blank">Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed</a> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CJunko+Taguchi%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Junko Taguchi</a>)</h6>
<h1>One-Eyed Willy</h1>
Hello again, friends! My name is Seth Cross, and welcome back to Uncommonders, the series that explores underappreciated commanders printed at the uncommon level. Though this series started with Dominaria's twenty uncommon legends, I also wanted to include older Uncommonders, as well as rares that were downshifted in rarity, to see how brand new cards affect those uncommon legends and make them more powerful.
As a Golgari and generally mono-black player, one of the most exciting new cards from War of the Spark is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas’s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas’s Citadel</a>, with all its delicious combo potential. Looking through all the pre-Dominaria Uncommonders, I noticed an Uncommonder that can run Citadel with ease. Of course, I'm talking about...
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed"></div></div>
Xiahou is a unique commander due to the wording of the printed ability and the fact that Horsemanship is a fairly rare mechanic. Since the card does not have reminder text, Horsemanship means “this creature can’t be blocked except by creatures with Horsemanship.” Basically, a different version of flying.
Xiahou’s other ability is unique because of the timing restrictions (pre-combat main phase only) and that it retrieves from your graveyard any black card, not just a creature. This enables a few interesting strategies, but for us, it can act as recursion for <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas&#039;s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas&#039;s Citadel</a>, since it is a black card instead of a regular colorless artifact. This gives us the ability to play some cool spells, then play them again and again.
Normally, Xiahou is built with powerful black instants and sorceries - a card type mono-black cannot regularly recur. I'd like to break that tradition, though. There are only a few key cards he needs to recur, namely that precious, precious Citadel. Let's lean into that Citadel synergy - instead of building an instant and sorcery Xiahou Dun deck, we're building a mono-black artifact master.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Some Necessary Artifice</h3>
To properly build around <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas&#039;s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas&#039;s Citadel</a>, let's see what cards are most often paired with it. Looking at the artifact's main EDHREC page, I was not at all surprised to see <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a> as part of the Signature Cards and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sensei’s Divining Top" href="#" target="_blank">Sensei’s Divining Top</a> in the Top Cards.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-33418 aligncenter" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/EDHREC.png" alt="" width="700" height="408" />
While Citadel lets us play the first land that winds up on top of our deck, we cannot be expected to have too many extra land drops without green in the deck. Top helps us move them away and keep the combo going. Reservoir’s lifegain keeps us alive as we start to combo off, since we will be paying life to play cards from our deck.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Insurance In-Depth</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krark-Clan Ironworks"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buried Ruin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trading Post"></div></div>
Both Reservoir and Citadel are very dangerous cards to see on the battlefield, and will attract removal spells. Xiahou can retrieve Citadel, and artifacts can often be recurred by other artifacts, though we should be wary of exile effects like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return to Dust" href="#" target="_blank">Return to Dust</a>. We'd much prefer our artifacts end up in the graveyard than in exile, so to guarantee our artifacts don't go away forever, we'll include some sacrifice outlets, to make sure we can recur those artifacts if we need to. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trading Post" href="#" target="_blank">Trading Post</a> is a staple in artifact-based decks because it can both sacrifice and recur our important pieces. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krark-Clan Ironworks" href="#" target="_blank">Krark-Clan Ironworks</a> gives us an instant-speed sacrifice to generate mana. The other two options I like for the deck are <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Claws of Gix" href="#" target="_blank">Claws of Gix</a>, which has recently seen some love on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5d1KNNFArSNNRrpJjhf1WrwwuZqUcg0K">Commander Vs</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syndicate Trafficker" href="#" target="_blank">Syndicate Trafficker</a>, a more recent addition to the package.
Unfortunately, mono-black has few options to return artifacts from the graveyard when those artifacts are not creatures. By few of course, we mean next to none. The only ones I know of are <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beacon of Unrest" href="#" target="_blank">Beacon of Unrest</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fortuitous Find" href="#" target="_blank">Fortuitous Find</a>. The latter isn't very impressive, and though the former is nice enough for recursion, it doesn't synergize with Xiahou's ability, since it shuffles back into the library.
We can therefore facilitate our recursion by running the staples like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Myr Retriever" href="#" target="_blank">Myr Retriever</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Junk Diver" href="#" target="_blank">Junk Diver</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Ruin" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Ruin</a>, and depending on how artifact-heavy the list becomes, maybe <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Trawler" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Trawler</a>. The idea of making Treasure tokens and sacrificing them to the aforementioned Ironworks is too much fun to not include, so you may notice both <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pitiless Plunderer" href="#" target="_blank">Pitiless Plunderer</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Revel in Riches" href="#" target="_blank">Revel in Riches</a> in the deck, too. Then, since we are looking at sacrificing some Treasure tokens, I cannot resist running my favorite card from all of Kaladesh block, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marionette Master" href="#" target="_blank">Marionette Master</a>.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Cheating on Your Taxes</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Palace Siege"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Volrath’s Stronghold"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Reclamation"></div></div>
A quick disclaimer: this section is about cheating on your commander tax! Do not cheat on your real taxes! You have been warned!
Xiahou does not suffer from the problem experienced by other commanders with "dies" triggers, such as <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elenda, the Dusk Rose" href="#" target="_blank">Elenda, the Dusk Rose</a>. With his updated oracle text, he can sacrifice himself to his own ability, be replaced into the command zone, and still return a black card to your hand. This is a cool advantage to have, but it will increase commander tax. Let's look at ways to avoid increased commander tax; since mono-black is the color of recursion, we have many options.
I am always an advocate of repeatable effects, so <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Volrath’s Stronghold" href="#" target="_blank">Volrath’s Stronghold</a> is great for the deck. It is doubly synergistic because, with Citadel out, we can pay four life to replay Xiahou, potentially getting back multiple cards in one turn! Another repeatable effect is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Palace Siege" href="#" target="_blank">Palace Siege</a>, naming 'Khans' to return creatures, though funny enough, Xiahou can also return this enchantment if need be! <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Victimize" href="#" target="_blank">Victimize</a> is not normally a repeatable effect, but with Xiahou’s ability and enough mana, we can keep looping the spell for maximum value. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of the Host" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of the Host</a> seems to be good in any deck that runs it, and this is no exception. Making nonlegendary copies of Xiahou to recur spells is pure value. Then there's <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Reclamation</a>, also repeatable recursion, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mimic Vat" href="#" target="_blank">Mimic Vat</a>, which can help us make Xiahou copies once a turn.
NOTE: It is important to be careful with Vat. If Xiahou is exiled under it and Vat is destroyed, there is no way to return him to the command zone. Make sure you have some creature sacrifice outlets that you can activate to push Xiahou back into the graveyard if someone goes to remove Vat. For the most part, sacrifice outlets that act as mana abilities (<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Altar</a> or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod’s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod’s Altar</a> for example) are best, to avoid the green player’s <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krosan Grip" href="#" target="_blank">Krosan Grip</a>.
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Panic Buttons!</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Perpetual Timepiece"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Whip of Erebos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Relic of Progenitus"></div></div>
For the sake of safety, I do like have a safety button or two when it comes to putting my commander in the graveyard. If someone goes to disrupt your recursion, and Xiahou winds up stuck in the graveyard, things can get rough. In these instances, exiling Xiahou and putting him into the command zone via replacement effect might be the only answer. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relic of Progenitus" href="#" target="_blank">Relic of Progenitus</a> is one such example. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whip of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Whip of Erebos</a> is another good option, because we can still sacrifice Xiahou before he gets exiled at the end of turn. I also enjoy <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Perpetual Timepiece" href="#" target="_blank">Perpetual Timepiece</a> to shuffle our graveyard back into our deck, also triggering a commander replacement effect when Xiahou would change zones. While this may take away some of our options for Xiahou later, the ends justify the means if we need our commander back. It also doubles up on value if Citadel is on the battlefield, and we need to shave a couple of lands off the top of our library (plus, any black cards we mill are great targets for Xiahou later)!
Throw in a couple Wrath effects (I count <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Living Death" href="#" target="_blank">Living Death</a> as the first one), some removal, ramp and card advantage (especially anything that is black that Xiahou can recur) and the list might look something like this:
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"></div> 
[Commander] 
*1 Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed 
[/Commander] 
[Artifact] 
*1 Aetherflux Reservoir 
*1 Blackblade Reforged 
*1 Bolas's Citadel 
*1 Claws of Gix 
*1 Crucible of Worlds 
*1 Expedition Map 
*1 Gilded Lotus 
*1 Helm of the Host 
*1 Jet Medallion 
*1 Krark-Clan Ironworks 
*1 Lashwrithe 
*1 Mimic Vat 
*1 Mind Stone 
*1 Nevinyrral's Disk 
*1 Nim Deathmantle 
*1 Perpetual Timepiece 
*1 Phyrexian Altar 
*1 Relic of Progenitus 
*1 Sensei's Divining Top 
*1 Skullclamp 
*1 Sol Ring 
*1 Spine of Ish Sah 
*1 Trading Post 
[/artifact] 
[Land] 
*1 Bojuka Bog 
*1 Buried Ruin 
*1 Cabal Coffers 
*1 Cabal Stronghold 
*1 Command Beacon 
*1 Inventors' Fair 
*1 Myriad Landscape 
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx 
*26 Snow-Covered Swamp 
*1 Strip Mine 
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 
*1 Volrath's Stronghold 
[/Land] 
[Instant] 
*1 Cabal Ritual 
*1 Dark Ritual 
*1 Entomb 
*1 Hatred 
*1 Vampiric Tutor 
[/Instant] 
[Creature] 
*1 Junk Diver 
*1 Marionette Master 
*1 Midnight Reaper 
*1 Mindslicer 
*1 Myr Retriever 
*1 Necrotic Ooze 
*1 Pitiless Plunderer 
*1 Plaguecrafter 
*1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier 
*1 Solemn Simulacrum 
*1 Syndicate Trafficker 
*1 Vampire Hexmage 
[/creature] 
[Planeswalker] 
*1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General 
[/Planeswalker] 
[Enchantment] 
*1 Arguel's Blood Fast 
*1 Palace Siege 
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation 
*1 Revel in Riches 
*1 Whip of Erebos 
[/Enchantment] 
[Sorcery] 
*1 Beacon of Unrest 
*1 Buried Alive 
*1 Damnation 
*1 Living Death 
*1 Read the Bones 
*1 Reanimate 
*1 Sign in Blood 
*1 Toxic Deluge 
*1 Victimize 
*1 Yawgmoth's Will 
[/Sorcery] 
[/Deck]

<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Different Brewing Angles</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bolas’s Citadel"></div></div>
For this deck, the commander is mostly a facilitator for <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas&#039;s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas&#039;s Citadel</a> in the 99. Paying life instead of mana is extremely powerful in Magic, so I'm happy to build around what is easily one of my favorite cards from War of the Spark. This take isn't necessarily mainstream for Xiahou - playing a support role rather than the leading role - but it is interesting space to explore.
Looking back at the comments on last week's article from Twitter, Reddit and the comment section of the article itself, my favorite came from /u/TheCinniWinni on Reddit, who wrote:
<blockquote>Hello my friend! I have a [[Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed]] edh deck, and it's super flexible!! Also, he has horsemanship, which is pseudo-unblockable, and black has a ton of ways to buff him by sacrificing your own creatures.</blockquote>
They went more in-depth with their response and you can read the rest of it by clicking <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/EDH/comments/bkaozk/think_those_sonic_images_are_bad_check_out_how/emhwfyz?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web2x">here</a>. We can get inspired by so many different aspects of the game, including someone else’s ideas or basic concepts, and that is awesome to see. When brewing decks, try to surround yourself with those personalities, to bounce ideas around and come up with something new and cool!
Of course, if you want to bounce ideas for decks with me or just talk about Commander or Magic in general with me, make sure you are <a href="https://www.twitter.com/DM_Cross">following me on Twitter</a>. I am also a part of the Praetor Magic group, where we make <a href="https://www.youtube.com/praetormagic">YouTube videos</a> every month, perform a live Podcast <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/praetormagic">Twitch stream</a> as well as gameplay streams every week and host a <a href="https://discord.gg/CrNHmTE">public Discord server</a> dedicated to bringing people together over the idea of cheap Commander games! I hope to see you out there and until next time, you know what to do;
Keep reanimating those bombs! (Because casting them just once is never enough!)

Uncommonders - Xiahou, Bolas's Janitor

Uncommonders - Yargle Has Come to Bargle

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis" href="#" target="_blank">Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis</a> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/aleksi">Aleksi Briclot</a>)</h6>
<h1>Who Needs the Color Pie, Anyway?</h1>
Welcome back to Forgotten Harvest, where we give cards used in under 300 decks here on EDHREC their due. This time, I'm continuing the pattern of tackling mono-colored decks, and making good on a request from reader @WilliamLordSith for a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis" href="#" target="_blank">Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis</a> deck at the same time.
However, this isn't going to be your typical mono-black deck. No, we're going for something along the white/green persuasion. We're blowing away all expectations of what colors mean with an off-color enchantress deck.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-31442" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/giphy-2.gif" alt="" width="600" height="300" />
Let's break it down into three sections:
<ol>
<li>What does black, and more specifically our commander, do well?</li>
<li>How can we leverage these strengths when using Auras?</li>
<li>What colorless cards can we use to help bolster the enchantress theme?</li>
</ol>
<hr />
<h2>What Nefarox and Black Do Well</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Homicidal Seclusion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demonic Rising"></div></div>
There are two key features to Nefarox: Exalted and creature removal. Focusing on the former, black has a few cards that support keeping the creature count to a minimum. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Rising" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Rising</a> (176 decks) and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Homicidal Seclusion" href="#" target="_blank">Homicidal Seclusion</a> (169 decks) are two enchantments that can help out when we're rocking a solo Nefarox, the former providing a nice 5/5 Demon, and the latter buffing our lone creature and gaining us back some life. Given the heavy enchantment theme planned for in this deck, these are quite powerful.
Of course, any black deck isn't complete without some creature removal. Nefarox's attack trigger is a great way to eliminate troublesome attackers on the other side of the table. This deck includes a typical removal package for black, including <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Go For the Throat" href="#" target="_blank">Go For the Throat</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Profane Command" href="#" target="_blank">Profane Command</a>. If you decide to give this deck a try, I highly recommend customizing this portion before doing further deck editing. I'm admittedly relying on my favorites for removal, but tinkering is required to find the absolute best cards for the job. You may prefer <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Decree of Pain" href="#" target="_blank">Decree of Pain</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shriekmaw" href="#" target="_blank">Shriekmaw</a>, and that's totally fine.
<hr />
<h2>Adding in Enchantments</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chime of Night"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Screams from Within"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Parallax Dementia"></div></div>
It's safe to assume, with Nefarox at the helm, that opponents will be losing a lot of creatures. Therefore I looked to add Auras that would provide some extra pain when their creatures hit the bin. Cards like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chime of Night" href="#" target="_blank">Chime of Night</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dying Wail" href="#" target="_blank">Dying Wail</a> from Urza's Destiny both fit that criteria, and see play in 47 and 18 decks, respectively.
Similar to <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chime of Night" href="#" target="_blank">Chime of Night</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Funeral March" href="#" target="_blank">Funeral March</a> (30 decks) can help with a cascading creature loss. Speaking of cascades, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Screams from Within" href="#" target="_blank">Screams from Within</a> is king, frequently ripping through token decks like tissue paper, while only making it into the sleeves of 142 decks. When looking to cause some life loss, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Banewasp Affliction" href="#" target="_blank">Banewasp Affliction</a> (45 decks) gets the job done nicely. Finally, the highly political card <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Parallax Dementia" href="#" target="_blank">Parallax Dementia</a> can be a great bargaining chip when players A and B want to gang up on player C for a turn. This Nemesis common sees play in a whole 7 decks, which I think is far too low.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Necromancer&#039;s Magemark"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shade&#039;s Form"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sadistic Glee"></div></div>
Not all of our Auras have to be anti-creature. Some of them can help pump our Nefarox, get his commander damage through, or protect him from death. One of the best Auras to protect your whole enchanted team is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necromancer&#039;s Magemark" href="#" target="_blank">Necromancer&#039;s Magemark</a> from Guildpact (80 decks). While you'd lose any Auras attached to your creatures, getting those creatures back is just fantastic! Speaking of which, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shade&#039;s Form" href="#" target="_blank">Shade&#039;s Form</a> is an excellent <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="False Demise" href="#" target="_blank">False Demise</a> for black, allowing you to steal an opposing creature when it hits the bin. The buff on the creature only helps to add to the political benefits of the card. I'm shocked it's only played in 274 decks.
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sadistic Glee" href="#" target="_blank">Sadistic Glee</a> (263 decks) and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ordeal of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Ordeal of Erebos</a> (188 decks) can give our creatures a more permanent boost after enchanting them. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inner Demon" href="#" target="_blank">Inner Demon</a>, played in 73 decks, provides a pump, some evasion, as well as a small board wipe. Also giving some evasion, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Shadow</a> (295 decks) can make your creature fearsome over and over again. Assuming the creature can connect, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloak of Confusion" href="#" target="_blank">Cloak of Confusion</a> from Ice Age does some great "hand management" to disrupt our opponents, seeing play in just 16 decks. Lastly, another source of hand disruption, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strands of Undeath" href="#" target="_blank">Strands of Undeath</a> (50 decks) provides a regenerative shield to protect the lucky creature it lands on.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dreadbringer Lampads"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blightcaster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xenic Poltergeist"></div></div>
Since we're playing so many Auras, it's probably a good idea to include the black Constellation creatures: <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Guardian</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agent of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Agent of Erebos</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thoughtrender Lamia" href="#" target="_blank">Thoughtrender Lamia</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doomwake Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Doomwake Giant</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dreadbringer Lampads" href="#" target="_blank">Dreadbringer Lampads</a>. The Lampads get special mention, as they're only played in 298 decks. There's a suite of other powerful enchantment creatures also in the deck, along with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blightcaster" href="#" target="_blank">Blightcaster</a>, which has honorable Constellation and sees play in 274 decks. With all this enchantment-fall, you'll be happy to set off that <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Screams from Within" href="#" target="_blank">Screams from Within</a> chain for sure!
One final creature that I should talk about, even though it's not enchantment-based, is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xenic Poltergeist" href="#" target="_blank">Xenic Poltergeist</a>. This Legends card has become a favorite of mine for black decks that have trouble handling artifacts. This can make a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Engine</a> into a 5/5 for one go around the table, making it susceptible to <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a> or any other mono-black creature removal. Right now, it only sees play in 161 decks, but I want to see that number creep higher.
<hr />
<h2>Colorless Support</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crown of the Ages"></div></div>
There are four colorless cards worth mentioning that add greatly to the black enchantress theme. First, we have the all-star <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skull of Orm" href="#" target="_blank">Skull of Orm</a>, capable of resurrecting our spent Auras for their reuse. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crystal Chimes" href="#" target="_blank">Crystal Chimes</a> fills a similar role, though it's only a one-shot.
Of note in the "under 300" club, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of the Ages" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of the Ages</a> helps to swap Auras among creatures. This will help you get the most of the enchantments, in case their host is about to say goodbye, or maybe it'll help get that <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chime of Night" href="#" target="_blank">Chime of Night</a> on the creature that's about to bite it. Plus, with all these auras targeting your opponents' baddies, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Lighthouse" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Lighthouse</a> can help make sure that hexproof and shroud won't get in the way.
Enough chatter! Let's check out a deck!
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"></div> 
[Commander] 
*1 Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis 
[/Commander] 
[Creatures] 
*1 Hex Parasite 
*1 Merrow Bonegnawer 
*1 Brain Maggot 
*1 Ashiok's Adept 
*1 Grim Guardian 
*1 Nighthowler 
*1 Plaguecrafter 
*1 Xenic Poltergeist 
*1 Agent of Erebos 
*1 Blightcaster 
*1 Crypt Ghast 
*1 Erebos, God of the Dead 
*1 Fate Unraveler 
*1 Doomwake Giant 
*1 Dreadbringer Lampads 
*1 Vengeful Pharaoh 
*1 Dread 
*1 Thoughtrender Lamia 
[/Creatures] 
[Instants] 
*1 Cast Down 
*1 Go for the Throat 
*1 Sudden Spoiling 
*1 Thrilling Encore 
*1 Scour from Existence 
[/Instants] 
[Sorceries] 
*1 Demonic Tutor 
*1 Profane Command 
*1 Torment of Hailfire 
*1 Damnation 
*1 Beseech the Queen 
[/Sorceries] 
[Artifacts] 
*1 Expedition Map 
*1 Sol Ring 
*1 Wayfarer's Bauble 
*1 Charcoal Diamond 
*1 Crown of the Ages 
*1 Jet Medallion 
*1 Mind Stone 
*1 Thaumatic Compass 
*1 Crystal Chimes 
*1 Skull of Orm 
*1 Unstable Obelisk 
[/Artifacts] 
[Enchantments] 
*1 Sadistic Glee 
*1 Vampiric Link 
*1 Animate Dead 
*1 Banewasp Affliction 
*1 Chime of Night 
*1 Cloak of Confusion 
*1 Dragon Shadow 
*1 Dying Wail 
*1 Ordeal of Erebos 
*1 Parallax Dementia 
*1 Funeral March 
*1 Necromancer's Magemark 
*1 Screams from Within 
*1 Shade's Form 
*1 Stab Wound 
*1 Vow of Malice 
*1 Inner Demon 
*1 Strands of Undeath 
*1 Demonic Rising 
*1 Homicidal Seclusion 
*1 Enslave 
[/Enchantments] 
[Lands] 
*1 Arcane Lighthouse 
*1 Barren Moor 
*1 Bojuka Bog 
*1 Cabal Coffers 
*1 Cabal Stronghold 
*1 Cathedral of War 
*1 Desert of the Glorified 
*1 Leechridden Swamp 
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx 
*1 Polluted Mire 
*1 Rogue's Passage 
*1 Spawning Pool 
*26 Swamp 
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 
[/Lands] 
[/Deck]

<hr />
<h2>In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night...</h2>
I hope you all enjoyed this attempt to throw the color pie out the window. I promise this won't be the last time I try to break things. Do you have any ideas for how you would like to mess with the color pie? How about any cards used in 300 decks or less on this site that you'd like to see featured? Leave me your thoughts on this and more in the comments. As this article proves, I love working off of reader suggestions and challenges, so let them fly! Next time, we'll continue the mono-color pattern with a preventative take on green!

mono black