(Sliver Gravemother | Art by <a href="http://www.rahnart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Rahn</a>)
Hello everyone! I’m Bert from the Scrap Trawlers, where we do EDH on a budget. Today we're taking a look at the Sliver Swarm precon from Commander Masters. Our face commander this time around is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Gravemother" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Gravemother</a>, which makes our deck Sliver typal. As always, let’s go over how the deck plays, the strengths and weaknesses, and which new and reprinted cards are worth chasing. Let’s get into it!
<h2>A Mother’s Love</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sliver Gravemother"></div></div>
Let’s give our face commander, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Gravemother" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Gravemother</a>, another glance, shall we? She's a five-mana, five-color commander, and her first line of text is that the “legend rule” doesn't apply to Slivers you control. This has some powerful synergies with Slivers as they have strong legendary creatures at their disposal.
The next line of text gives each Sliver in our graveyard Encore X, where X is its mana value. This enables some amazing recursion for our deck that already has a dynamic board presence. 
Lastly, she has Encore herself, allowing you to get an additional use out of her rather than immediately sending her into the command zone. Silver Gravemother wants to be played a bit later in the game so that we can profit off of the Encore ability and give our Slivers even more effects from one another.
Let’s go ahead and take a look at the list. 
&nbsp;
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Silver Swarm" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Sliver Gravemother
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Icon of Ancestry
*1 Pillar of Origins
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Blade Sliver
*1 Blur Sliver
*1 Bonescythe Sliver
*1 Bonesplitter Sliver
*1 Brood Sliver
*1 Capricious Sliver
*1 Cleaving Sliver
*1 Clot Sliver
*1 Cloudshredder Sliver
*1 Constricting Sliver
*1 Crypt Sliver
*1 Crystalline Sliver
*1 Diffusion Sliver
*1 Firewake Sliver
*1 Galerider Sliver
*1 Gemhide Sliver
*1 Harmonic Sliver
*1 Hatchery Sliver
*1 Hibernation Sliver
*1 Hollowhead Sliver
*1 Lavabelly Sliver
*1 Lazotep Sliver
*1 Manaweft Sliver
*1 Megantic Sliver
*1 Might Sliver
*1 Necrotic Sliver
*1 Quick Sliver
*1 Realmwalker
*1 Regal Sliver
*1 Rukarumel, Biologist
*1 Sentinel Sliver
*1 Shifting Sliver
*1 Sinew Sliver
*1 Sliver Hivelord
*1 Spiteful Sliver
*1 Striking Sliver
*1 Synapse Sliver
*1 Syphon Sliver
*1 Taunting Sliver
*1 Titan of Littjara
*1 Two-Headed Sliver
*1 Venom Sliver
*1 Winged Sliver
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Cleansing Nova
*1 Crippling Fear
*1 Cultivate
*1 Decimate
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Farseek
*1 Harsh Mercy
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Three Visits
*1 Windfall
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Descendants&#039; Fury
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 For the Ancestors
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flood Plain
*3 Forest
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 Grasslands
*1 Irrigated Farmland
*2 Island
*1 Jungle Shrine
*2 Mountain
*1 Mountain Valley
*1 Mystic Monastery
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Opulent Palace
*1 Path of Ancestry
*2 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rocky Tar Pit
*1 Sandsteppe Citadel
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Scattered Groves
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Sunken Hollow
*2 Swamp
*1 Unclaimed Territory
[/Lands]"></div>

&nbsp;
With this list we have a good setup for a Slivers deck that has the power to swarm the board. Slivers in particular are a creature type that excels with multiple creatures on the board that provide a buff to all of the creatures.
Let’s go ahead and get specific in what our deck's strengths are!
<h2>Slithering Swarm</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmonic Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Two-headed Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Manaweft Sliver"></div></div>
Having an astonishing 43 creatures in the deck, it’s safe to say that we are an aggro deck that aims to spread our creatures around the board so that we can overrun our opponents. The average mana value this time around is 3.13, which is really good out of the box. 

So how do the vital parts of the deck fare? Well, let's go ahead and talk about the elephant in the room. The mana base leaves much to be desired. The amount of tap-lands (lands that enter the battlefield tapped) that we have really slows down what is supposed to be an aggressive and low-to-the-ground deck. On that same note, the deck does have a decent bit of ramp, but for a five-color deck, I want to see more. We have some of the typical green staples, such as <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature’s Lore" href="#" target="_blank">Nature’s Lore</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farseek" href="#" target="_blank">Farseek</a>, so that's a good start.
Next, we're missing a consistent form of card draw in the deck. Included is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher’s banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher’s banner</a>, which over the course of the game will draw us a vast amount of cards, but it’s the only recurring card draw that doesn't revolve around combat. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Herald’s Horn" href="#" target="_blank">Herald’s Horn</a> does its best, but giving us card draw is only half of what we want this card to do for us. Some good board wipes are included that'll see our Slivers live and prosper. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harsh Mercy" href="#" target="_blank">Harsh Mercy</a> will be great unless our opponent is in a typal deck like we are. We also have <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crippling Fear" href="#" target="_blank">Crippling Fear</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cleansing Nova" href="#" target="_blank">Cleansing Nova</a>, which are great options when it comes to board wipes. 
This is probably the first time in a while that I'm a bit disappointed with a precon out of the box. Once again I'm asking for a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Discovery</a> reprint in a typal deck that is aggressive and cares about specific creature types. The mana base needs a bit of an upgrade, even if that's just including a few more basics and fetches, such as <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terramorphic Expanse" href="#" target="_blank">Terramorphic Expanse</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolving Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Evolving Wilds</a>. I will go into more detail into what can be fixed in my Upgrade Guide so be on the lookout for that. 
So what am I happy with? Well, the creature suite is solid and our number of board wipes is right. We just need a bit more help in the other departments to make the deck flow a bit more. Enough about the negatives though, let’s take a look at those sweet new Commander cards that were printed in this deck. 
<h2>New to the Swarm</h2>
We have ten new cards this time around, including Sliver Gravemother, so let’s go over all of them. 
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rukarumel, Biologist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Capricious Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lazotep Sliver"></div></div>
The alternate commander is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rukarumel, Biologist" href="#" target="_blank">Rukarumel, Biologist</a>, who allows you to create a typal deck for the type of your choice. They make it so that nontoken creatures you control and creature spells that you cast are the selected type, as well as all Slivers you control. I'm interested to see lists for this commander once everyone starts to brew.
Next we have <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricious Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Capricious Sliver</a>, a four-mana Sliver that gives our Slivers the ability to impulse draw when they deal combat damage to a player. I'm a huge fan of this Sliver and the potential that it has. I mean, if you Encore it and get copies, it just provides a massive amount of card advantage. Next is another one of my favorite new cards, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazotep Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Lazotep Sliver</a>. This card is a powerhouse by itself. Not only does it protect our board against wipes by making it so that we Amass whenever a Sliver dies, but it also gives Slivers we control Afflict 2 which disincentivizes our opponents from blocking. 
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Regal Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titan of Littjara"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hatchery Sliver"></div></div>
Some additional cards that make this deck stand out have to be <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hatchery Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Hatchery Sliver</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Regal Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Regal Sliver</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titan of Littjara" href="#" target="_blank">Titan of Littjara</a>. When it comes to <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hatchery Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Hatchery Sliver</a>, Replicate is a powerful effect that lets us double up on buffs in the late game. It can come down early, but really shines during later turns where you actually have the mana to replicate your spells. I am a huge fan of the Monarch and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Regal Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Regal Sliver</a> adding it to the game is just what I love to see. It also makes it easier to take the Monarch back, which is not always the case. Next we have our typal titan, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titan of Littjara" href="#" target="_blank">Titan of Littjara</a>, giving us a bit of card draw on entering the battlefield and attacks. I'm not a huge fan of this, but the amount of cards you can draw off of it in this deck is nothing to scoff at. 
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Descendants’ Fury"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="For the Ancestors"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Taunting Sliver"></div></div>
Lastly we have <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Descendants’ Fury" href="#" target="_blank">Descendants’ Fury</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="For the Ancestors" href="#" target="_blank">For the Ancestors</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taunting Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Taunting Sliver</a>. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taunting Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Taunting Sliver</a> is strong, as it gives us the ability to Goad our opponents' creatures and open them up from an attack from our buffed up Slivers. If I've learned one thing this year, it’s how powerful Goad can be when you have multiple instances of it. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="For the Ancestors" href="#" target="_blank">For the Ancestors</a> is a fine card, but I would honestly just prefer that it be a card draw spell. It does have the added benefit of having Flashback which allows us to use it an additional time. [/el]Descendants’ Fury[/el] is a weird card as it has you give up your board presence for a chance to get something a bit more powerful. If we had a lower number of creatures and knew what we would get off of it, I think it would be a lot better, but with 43 creatures it’s a bit too random for me. 
<h2>Returned to the Horde </h2>
With the new cards also comes the return of some old ones. One I am sure that people are excited to see is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Hivelord" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Hivelord</a>. It's a very powerful card, giving our Sliver creatures some protection in the form of indestructible. 
Seeing <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudshredder Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudshredder Sliver</a> brings me joy as it's a powerful and efficient card giving our Slivers two notable abilities. I've already talked about the ramp package reprints <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature’s Lore" href="#" target="_blank">Nature’s Lore</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farseek" href="#" target="_blank">Farseek</a>, which are always welcome to show up in products such as this. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher’s Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher’s Banner</a> is also a great card to see included.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sliver Hivelord"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloudshredder Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vanquisher’s Banner"></div></div>
Overall, we could have used some more noteworthy reprints, but we definitely have a bunch of Slivers that were included that I haven’t mentioned. 
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
While it’s not my favorite deck, I like what the Sliver Swarm precon is trying to do. The deck has some synergies built in even though it's missing a bit of the gears that make the deck tick. Be sure to let me know what you think about the deck in the comments below. Come back next time so we can go over some upgrades for the deck. 
Make sure to check back for more precon guides from us Scrap Trawlers. The other Trawlers are coming up with the guides for the other decks, so be sure to check them out. You can also check out our budget content over on <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers">Twitch</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/scraptrawlers">YouTube</a> and follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/scraptrawlers">Twitter</a>.

typal

Sliver Swarm - Precon Primer