I really like Smallpox, Death Cloud and most of all Pox. Generally, these suicide-spells that screw everybody over "equally" add an angle to the game that I really like.
What would be the best type of deck for this? A pillowfort-y deck that can abuse enchantments and/or artifacts seems strong, since those don't get sacrificed by most of those types of effects. I was thinking of Athreos, God of Passage, since he avoids the sac effects as long as my devotion stays low enough. His ability is kind of weak, though. Oloro, Ageless Ascetic would be absolutely brutal but that seems just downright cruel and I don't think I would want to destroy my own mana when playing him.
Are there any other good suggestions? And is it possible to resolve a Pox without sacrificing a third of your friends?
I really like Smallpox, Death Cloud and most of all Pox. Generally, these suicide-spells that screw everybody over "equally" add an angle to the game that I really like.
What would be the best type of deck for this? A pillowfort-y deck that can abuse enchantments and/or artifacts seems strong, since those don't get sacrificed by most of those types of effects. I was thinking of Athreos, God of Passage, since he avoids the sac effects as long as my devotion stays low enough. His ability is kind of weak, though. Oloro, Ageless Ascetic would be absolutely brutal but that seems just downright cruel and I don't think I would want to destroy my own mana when playing him.
Are there any other good suggestions? And is it possible to resolve a Pox without sacrificing a third of your friends?
Pox is one of my favorite cards!
A Mardu build could provide what you're looking for:
It sounds like you're looking for a Stax deck (named after Smokestack). There's a great stax primer floating around on the forum on appropriate stax cards. Unfortunately, it doesn't include how to keep your friends from teaming up against you once they realize what you're up to.
I use Mogis, God of Slaughter for my Pox/Landy/Hand hate general. The constant 2 damage on opponents upkeep wears them down and you can redirect that 2 damage to any walkers they happen to have in play. Then play various other enchantments that also hurt them on upkeep, resolve a death cloud and win.
It sounds like you're looking for a Stax deck (named after Smokestack). There's a great stax primer floating around on the forum on appropriate stax cards. Unfortunately, it doesn't include how to keep your friends from teaming up against you once they realize what you're up to.
Yeah, I looked through the stax thread, was originally going to post my question in there but while stax and pox are similar I wasn't sure if they are actually the same; I'm more looking at the suicide-black part of it than the "noone is going to play any spells ever" side of it. Smokestack will most definitely be in my deck, however.
I've always like Nath of the Gilt-Leaf as a home for Pox effects. Having him in play and casting a large Death Cloud can leave you with 12 elf tokens in play everyone is back down to 0 lands.
glissa the traitor lets you discard a bunch of artifacts, then return them all to hand when people sac their creatures. It's pretty simple for her to negate the downside to a lot of stax engines.
I'm more looking at the suicide-black part of it than the "noone is going to play any spells ever" side of it. Smokestack will most definitely be in my deck, however.
I play a creatureless mono black deck with Erebos, God of the Dead as commander. The deck is in my sig, if you want to check it. (It's runs the 3 cards mentioned in OP)
I run Savra, Queen of the Golgari for pox like decks. The extra life/sac triggers can be really brutal, especially with any Grave Pact effects. It also feels very suicide black to me as my creatures are almost exclusively mono-black.
Thanks for all the suggestions so far! I'm currently looking at Nath or Erebos, Erebos seems more in flavour but Nath gives me an excuse to play Delirium Skeins and access to Life from the Loam so I'm not sure yet
I second Karador, Ghost Chieftain. It favors things like Fleshbag Marauder more, since you can replay it from the graveyard, but in all I think it is the general that tolerates Pox the best.
Alesha, who smiles at death is nice stax general. You got access to great colors for GY things, then colors for token producing and also she herself can reccur things.
What would be the best type of deck for this? A pillowfort-y deck that can abuse enchantments and/or artifacts seems strong, since those don't get sacrificed by most of those types of effects. I was thinking of Athreos, God of Passage, since he avoids the sac effects as long as my devotion stays low enough. His ability is kind of weak, though. Oloro, Ageless Ascetic would be absolutely brutal but that seems just downright cruel and I don't think I would want to destroy my own mana when playing him.
Are there any other good suggestions? And is it possible to resolve a Pox without sacrificing a third of your friends?
A Mardu build could provide what you're looking for:
I play Karador, Ghost Chieftain with a few stax cards because the only thing better than dropping Magus of the Abyss is letting him sacrifice himself and casting him again.
Yeah, I looked through the stax thread, was originally going to post my question in there but while stax and pox are similar I wasn't sure if they are actually the same; I'm more looking at the suicide-black part of it than the "noone is going to play any spells ever" side of it. Smokestack will most definitely be in my deck, however.
Thank you, I will look through it! I'm mostly looking for a commander though, preferably two colors to keep it on the cheaper side.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
For the sake of sacrifices, I suggest Ghost Council of Orzhova.
I play a creatureless mono black deck with Erebos, God of the Dead as commander. The deck is in my sig, if you want to check it. (It's runs the 3 cards mentioned in OP)
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
You got me there. But she is easy to deal with in my deck, so goes the game of EDH.