I was gifted a budget deck because a friend thought it would suit my personality of making big guys and throwing them at people. One of my pet peeves in the game is slow play; you should already have figured out your lines as you built your deck. So anytime I can say "Too slow, you die" is awesome for me. That's the direction I'm certainly going to take this deck.
I've already updated it from the budget deck, so from here on out it'll just be more upgrades.
Most of the lands are just upgrades for utility or better fixing. I cut the Wastes because I cut Endbringer.
Even though the deck is Creature centric, I decided to go with good 4 drop ramp instead of the one or so lands. Without Primal Growth, there was no point of the Crew stealing a Creature. I also added a lot of noncreature spells, so I cut Thar because I know he would cause me too much grief.
Soulblast was added in the original list for the lawls, here I am putting in better ways to kill fling for damage.
My goal is to spam the board with tokens, so when they die to incidental or are fed for fodder, Kresh gets more swole.
I definitely want to add Jarad. Malignus, not too sure. I rather have text on my fatties than just big, the big is nice when they eventually add themselves to Kresh. Lord is way outta budget, it easily costs 1/5th of the deck right now. Xenagod is not a bad idea!
I definitely want to add Jarad. Malignus, not too sure. I rather have text on my fatties than just big, the big is nice when they eventually add themselves to Kresh. Lord is way outta budget, it easily costs 1/5th of the deck right now. Xenagod is not a bad idea!
I know vanilla creatures tend to be bad, but I would at least give Malignus a shot. Even though it's vanilla, a 20/20 (most of the time) for 5 mana is very good. It is probably the best card in my Kresh deck, although I am also running most of the power matters cards: Greater Good, Disciple of Bolas, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds, Pathbreaker Ibex, etc. Any time you have Kresh in play and sac it, you're instantly putting Kresh at the lethal 21 power. Combine it with Xenagos and you can one shot anyone at the table with haste. Throw it at the table with Jarad, buff Kresh at the same time, then throw Kresh and you can just kill everyone. Also works great with Rishkar's Expertise and Chandra's Ignition, which I see you are running.
I don't use Victimize because there have been times when I didn't have two legal targets. I try to focus on making my floors low rather than look towards a card's potential.
Nissa is a flat out better Civic Wayfinder because she turns into a pseudo-Phyrexian Arena.
I like Stalking Vengeance's ability to make my board undesirable to Wrath; however, I prefer to lower the average CMC of my deck. Too many things cost too much mana to cast. Also, Vengeance requires the Creature to die, which is awkward with my Commander. Jarad can send Kresh to the Commander zone, still do the damage, do it in the form of life loss and hits the whole table. Overall, I feel like Jarad is a great trade. The only thing that could be a problem is if he doesn't get big.
Rescue is cool but there might not be targets or I don't have 5 mana open. Journey is more my speed and provides me more grind potential.
Outpost Siege is a decent card draw engine; Greater Good in comparison is absurd.
I think you probably just forgot about this one, but a deck that frequently has important creatures go above 13 toughness isn't running Blasphemous Act?
Taurean would take a long time to make an impact, Feldon gives me a lot of utility at Instant Speed but more importantly his copies die so I can grow Kresh faster.
Borderland grabs a basic to hand, Granger puts it into play and Echo plays perfectly into Kresh's desires of Creatures dying.
Bane of Progress has a lot more impact than the Warchief Giant. I was hoping the Giant would force trades or blocks, but that didn't happen. While this deck does like its Artifacts and Enchantments, it probably likes serving up a big Creature that blows those up. Which then also makes Kresh get big if the Bane dies.
I was deciding between cutting Butcher of Malakir or Charnelhoard Wurm. I know Butcher, it's great and does well. So I decided to try out the Wurm, as the ability to Regrowth a card is solid. This is where I put plushpenguin's Blasphemous Act suggestion into action.
I felt like the deck was a little Swamp light, hence my decision to cut another Forest instead of a Swamp for Shizo. Otherwise, one more colorless for utility in the form of Yaviymaya Hollow and mana fixing in Reflecting Pool for another Forest and a Mountain.
Burning Anger is fun for repeated killing but Fling for lethal is a dream, so it's time I put the namesake of that effect into the deck.
I've been finding Kresh getting targeted and randomly messed with, so when I found an Asceticism I decided to protect him and other assets. I really like Gutter Grime, it reminds me of Daxos the Returned's mechanic but it is too slow for something outside of the Command Zone. With a heavy heart, I cut the Grime.
I found a Sheoldred, so I put it in the deck. As scary as the Goliath gets, it is definitely the definition of winmore. With Sheoldred, she's going to bring bodies back for Kresh and for me to enjoy that sweet ETBs. Also, she will cause peoples' Creatures to die, feeding Kresh. It sucks that such a good card exists but if the shoe fits, wear it.
I've been finding I've had too much Red and not enough Black, so I cut those two basics for City of Brass' color fixing and Tomb's fetchability from Wood Elves, Farseek and Skyshroud Claim.
Sol Ring definitely will kick you out of the early game ASAP and Mina and Denn's extra land drop didn't do that much for me. With the amount of evasion I've added to the deck, their Trample ability didn't do much for me anymore.
Arguel's Blood Fast will let me use my excess mana for good things and if I ever dip low, I'll have a second copy of Miren, the Moaning Well. Kazuul wasn't pulling his weight.
I put Ruric Thar back in because my life gain engines are far more efficient and I like punishing players who mess with my board. I decided to add in Kaervek the Merciless for pretty much the same reason.
I've found that I quickly run out of basics to fetch, hence the cutting of ramp. I am probably going to have to go towards more mana dorks, which has a synergy with Kresh of making bodies that could fuel his gains. This is why I've cut Solemn, Skyshroud and Explosive and begun the replacement process with Xenagos.
Charnelhoard was cool, returning any card but that sometimes was too many hoops to jump through. Seasons Past grabs me what I want and then could potentially show up later to do it all over again.
For some reason, Deathreap rarely triggered. I felt very disappointed with it. Well, I know why: Commanders would die and no trigger would occur. I'm using the Pokeball whose Scry will let me see more cards but also give me draws on Creatures I play.
Prowler's Helm and Trailblazer's Boots are fine ways to deliver Commander Damage; however, I prefer Key for the draw engine aspect and Whispersilk Cloak for Shroud to protect my Commander from being messed with.
I've cut my last basic for Arena, which gives me more removal and makes Kresh bigger. Grim Backwoods felt a little feelsbadman even if I want Creatures to die, instead Arch of Orazca should make my life easier if I end with open mana.
Though I am in the belief that deck building never ends, you just decide to stop. Not sure if you'll like this plus I know I'm going to make some changes, such as probably finding room for Gyre Sage and Heroic Intervention in place of Corpsejack Menace because it feels like a winmore.
I'm going to buy this deck. I hope it's as fun as it looks. Nice job.
Kresh is a blast to play, but in essence I agree with Tev. The building never stops, really. Mine is more or less set for the moment, but that's more because it's a vorthos deck first and foremost.
Nonetheless, I can't recommend Kresh enough. He's super fun, and while he will never be super super competitive, most decks built around him are capable of producing a win from absolutely nowhere, usually in spectacular fashion. He's one of those commanders that, to me, is the epitome of big battlecruiser EDH. Lots of drastic changes in boardstate, lots of fun. Similar in that respect to his Shards of Alara fellow legendary, Thraximundar.
Joraga Treespeaker is sometimes known as the 'Green Sol Ring' and depending on a start, it could be just as good. Gyre Sage grows, which is great for Kresh when it dies, but also provides more mana as the game goes on. This way one of these additions is a great tempo play and the other has a fairly high ceiling with still being solid with its plays.
I chose to cut the Granger and Farhaven Elves because they costed the most out of my land ramp for basics. Sakura-Tribe Elder is amazing, the other 2 drop Sorceries are good and Sylvan Ranger is nice for setup. Wood Elves, Farseek, Into the North and Nature's Lore can fetch duals, so they are probably going to spared the axe if I need to make more cuts.
[/spoiler]Engulfing Slagwurm does what the deck wants: provides a big body for Kresh, kills Creatures for Kresh and gains me life to survive from crackbacks. Corpsejack felt very much like a winmore and would cause people to panic at how quickly Kresh grew. I rather boil them with a slow increase than massive spikes, that way they're surprised when I finally swing at them and they found out Kresh is lethal.
Feldon felt like the card with the most strings after curring the Corpsejack Menace, so Feldon got turned into a Forest.
I found a Grave Titan so I figure that'll be nice with my strategy of 'poop tokens out of every orifice'. He's also sizable with Deathtouch, should help Kresh get swole.
I found a Grave Titan so I figure that'll be nice with my strategy of 'poop tokens out of every orifice'. He's also sizable with Deathtouch, should help Kresh get swole.
Solid change: plenty of fodder to sac if needed, favourable combatant with deathtouch, same CMC. Seasons Past isn't the recursion you're after in this deck anyway. At the same CMC I'd prefer Deadbridge Chant or Demon of Dark Schemes.
Heroic Intervention can be such a blowout in Kresh, where I can quickly kill the table after surviving a Wrath. I'm cutting Journey because I need it in my Damia deck, plus I've found that Kresh isn't in for a grindfest. Heroic swap establishes this even further.
I've been finding that I rip Basics out of my deck really quickly, so I'm cutting another Basic fetcher for hopefully a more stable mana base.
I'm a little sad that Hell's Caretaker hasn't found a place in my decks, but it just asks for too many hoops for me to get running. Mogis is placed in his spot for either lowering my opponents life total or encouraging them to sacrifice Creatures to grow Kresh.
Gyre Sage only looks at it's +1/+1s, not it's total power so it makes less mana than I thought and requires a lot more hoops. I like Joraga Treespeaker as it effectively functions like a Sol Ring which lets me have fast opens. The idea behind the Sage works, but the deck doesn't have enough throughput of big Creatures. I put in Ophiomancer because its Deathtouch Snake will protect me, destroy those who swing in and is fodder for various cards that will make Kresh grow.
Sylvan Ranger got axed because of the low basic count in the deck and my desire for more draw potential. I decided to go with Graveborn Muse over a non-Creature draw engine for a few reasons. One, if it dies it feeds Kresh; two, it can swing and block, carrying Sword of the Animist; three, Ruric Thar, the Unbowed won't punch me in the head for casting her; and four, she scales with Zombies so it is possible to draw 3-5 cards late game depending on what's out on my board.
Volrath's Stronghold is an amazing utility land and so it replaces a Swamp. This card gets shuffled around my decks as I'm trying to find a home; I think the Creature quality is big enough in Kresh that the Stronghold will pay off.
A big overhaul. I got tired of always stalling out, so I took the lessons from my Damia and Teneb decks. I'm used to expensive mana bases because I wasn't play Green, but Kresh is. So I cut a lot of the nonbasics for basics and added back in a lot of basic ramp cards. In addition to this, I identified cards that I wanted in the deck: poop out lots of tokens or are expendable. This made me think of Birthing Pod, so I took that from my Jarad. I cut a lot of Creatures that didn't want to be sacced but also didn't provide tokens that can be used as fodder to grow Kresh or just in general. With that in mind, I made this huge update:
I cut Creatures that didn't make me a lot of tokens for those who did or didn't mind dying. I also cut a lot of the Noncreature cards to put in more Creatures. I couldn't really remember a time when my Instants, aside from Heroic Intervention resulted in a huge blow out so they got nixed. I removed the Wrath and draw for more steady card advantage for effects like Attrition. I also made Kresh being invulnerable more obvious with Darksteel Plate, but I rather have my opponents scramble for an answer rather than keeping my mana open for a blow out.
A big overhaul. I got tired of always stalling out, so I took the lessons from my Damia and Teneb decks. I'm used to expensive mana bases because I wasn't play Green, but Kresh is. So I cut a lot of the nonbasics for basics and added back in a lot of basic ramp cards. In addition to this, I identified cards that I wanted in the deck: poop out lots of tokens or are expendable. This made me think of Birthing Pod, so I took that from my Jarad. I cut a lot of Creatures that didn't want to be sacced but also didn't provide tokens that can be used as fodder to grow Kresh or just in general. With that in mind, I made this huge update:
I cut Creatures that didn't make me a lot of tokens for those who did or didn't mind dying. I also cut a lot of the Noncreature cards to put in more Creatures. I couldn't really remember a time when my Instants, aside from Heroic Intervention resulted in a huge blow out so they got nixed. I removed the Wrath and draw for more steady card advantage for effects like Attrition. I also made Kresh being invulnerable more obvious with Darksteel Plate, but I rather have my opponents scramble for an answer rather than keeping my mana open for a blow out.
I like where the deck is going. It's starting to look really tight. Awakening Zone has done great work for me as a combination of ramp and sac outlets. Garruk Wildspeaker may be an upgrade over Xenagos, fills a very similar role but also gives you quick access to an overrun ability that could be a game ended with enough tokens on board.
Mogis wasn't pulling his weight; he wasn't pressuring the board's life so they would Sac and because they never Sacced Kresh didn't get Swole. With me randomly Shocking people, they would decide to attack me and I couldn't really defend or retaliate because again, Kresh was small. So, I put in the new Ramp to see if that is a good way to get big effects into play.
I've already updated it from the budget deck, so from here on out it'll just be more upgrades.
6 Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire
Creature - 28
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
2 Scavenging Ooze
3 Eternal Witness
3 Farhaven Elf
3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
3 Ramunap Excavator
3 Runic Armasaur
3 Tireless Tracker
3 Wayward Swordtooth
3 Wood Elves
4 Golden Guardian
4 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
4 Nullmage Shepherd
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Twilight Prophet
5 Garruk's Packleader
5 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
5 Nesting Dragon
5 Seedborn Muse
5 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
5 Tendershoot Dryad
5 The Gitrog Monster
5 Titania, Protector of Argoth
5 Xenagos, God of Revels
6 Dragonlair Spider
6 Kokusho, the Evening Star
7 Omnath, Locus of Rage
11 It That Betrays
1 Curse of Opulence
1 Exploration
2 Cindervines
2 Sylvan Library
3 Aggravated Assault
3 Attrition
3 Pernicious Deed
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Theater of Horrors
4 Bear Umbra
4 Guardian Project
4 Grave Pact
4 Wilderness Reclamation
5 Asceticism
6 Primeval Bounty
Enchantment Artifact - 1
4 Whip of Erebos
Artifact - 13
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
2 Golgari Signet
2 Lightning Greaves
2 Scroll Rack
2 Swiftfoot Boots
2 Sword of the Animist
2 Talisman of Impulse
2 Talisman of Indulgence
2 Vivien's Arkbow
3 Crucible of Worlds
3 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Vandalblast
5 Crux of Fate
Instant - 2
2 Constant Mists
2 Heroic Intervention
Nonbasic Lands - 21
0 Arch of Orazca
0 Blighted Woodland
0 Bojuka Bog
0 Cinder Glade
0 City of Brass
0 Command Tower
0 Drownyard Temple
0 Evolving Wilds
0 Flamekin Village
0 Hanweir Battlements
0 Kessig Wolf Run
0 Kher Keep
0 Mana Confluence
0 Myriad Landscape
0 Overgrown Tomb
0 Stomping Ground
0 Terrain Generator
0 Terramorphic Expanse
0 Volrath's Stronghold
0 Westvale Abbey
0 Yavimaya Hollow
Basic Lands - 17
8 Forest
4 Mountain
5 Swamp
1 Wayward Swordtooth
1 Exploration
1 Wilderness Reclamation
1 Vivien's Arkbow
1 Awakening Zone
1 Gruul Signet
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Evolutionary Leap
1 Scroll Rack
1 Xenagos, God of Revels
1 Aggravated Assault
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Bear Umbra
1 Courser of Kruphix
1 Rubblehulk
1 Journey to Eternity
1 Dictate of Erebos
1 Hour of Promise
1 Rubblehulk
1 It That Betrays
1 Aggravated Assault
1 Sunbird's Invocation
1 Curse of Opulence
1 Guardian Project
1 Terrain Generator
1 Forest
1 Pir's Whim
1 Outpost Siege
1 Temple of the False God
1 Blood Crypt
1 Garruk's Packleader
1 Aggravated Assault
1 City of Brass
1 Ogre Slumlord
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Luxury Suite
1 Courser of Kruphix
1 Sandwurm Convergence
1 Ogre Slumlord
1 Asceticism
1 Dragon Broodmother
1 Seasons Past
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Outpost Siege
1 Sunbird's Invocation
1 Blood Crypt
1 Grave Titan
1 Nissa, Vital Force
1 Broken Fall
1 Vona's Hunger
1 Spire Garden
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Captivating Crew
1 Golgari Signet
1 Gruul Signet
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Perilous Forays
1 Cindervines
1 Broken Fall
1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
1 Beast Within
1 Mana Vault
1 Revel in Riches
1 Theater of Horrors
1 Exsanguinate
1 Runic Armasaur
1 Painful Quandary
1 Luxury Suite
1 Spire Garden
1 Mana Confluence
1 Smoldering Marsh
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Mana Vault
1 The Gitrog Monster
1 Awakening Zone
1 Revel in Riches
1 Twilight Prophet
1 Ramunap Excavator
1 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
1 Titania, Protector of Argoth
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Wave of Vitriol
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Stolen Strategy
1 Necropotence
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
1 Acidic Slime
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Burnished Hart
1 Canyon Slough
1 Smoldering Marsh
1 Sheltered Thicket
1 Talisman of Indulgence
1 Talisman of Impulse
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Burnished Hart
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Painful Quandary
1 Stolen Strategy
1 Sylvan Library
1 Farseek
1 Nature's Lore
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Cultivate
1 Circuitous Route
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Etali, Primal Storm
1 Dragonmaster Outcast
1 Helm of Possession
1 Vandalblast
1 Wave of Vitriol
2 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Swamp
1 Grim Feast
1 Vicious Shadows
1 Golgari Guildgate
1 Rakdos Guildgate
1 Gruul Guildgate
1 Mosswort Bridge
1 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Snow-Covered Forest
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Aggravated Assault
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Crux of Fate
1 Exsanguinate
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Kokousho, the Evening Star
1 Seasons Past
1 Journey to Eternity
1 Aggravated Assault
1 Hanweir Battlements
1 Flamekin Village
1 Slaughter
1 Torment of Hailfire
1 Key to the City
1 Blood Artist
1 Loxodon Warhammer
1 Ulvenwald Mysteries
1 Viscera Seer
1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
1 Seedborn Muse
1 Drownyard Temple
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Snow-Covered Swamp
1 Circuitous Route
1 Golgari Guildgate
1 Gruul Guildgate
1 Rakdos Guildgate
1 Into the North
1 Tresshorn Sinks
1 Highland Weald
1 Snow-Covered Forest
1 Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire
In
1 Etali, Primal Storm
1 Nullmage Shepherd
1 Captivating Crew
1 Torment of Hailfire
1 Kresh the Bloodbraided
Out
1 Kresh the Bloodbraided
1 Caustic Caterpillar
1 Vampiric Rites
1 Reassembling Skeleton
1 Forest
1 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Primeval Bounty
1 Coffin Queen
1 Nesting Dragon
1 Westvale Abbey
1 Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire
1 Arena
1 Forest
1 Krav, the Unredeemed
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Omnath, Locus of Rage
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 Constant Mists
1 Captivating Crew
1 Reassembling Skeleton
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Captivating Crew
1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
1 Blood Artist
1 Vona's Hunger
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Vampiric Rites
1 Dictate of Erebos
1 Grave Pact
1 Sylvan Ranger
1 Ulvenwald Tracker
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Angrath's Marauders
1 Blasphemous Act
1 Journey to Eternity
1 Fling
1 Soul's Fire
1 Birthing Pod
1 Darksteel Plate
1 Asceticism
1 Coffin Queen
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 Temple of the False God
1 Blasphemous Act
1 Jarad, Golgari Lich-Lord
1 Whispersilk Cloak
1 Genesis
1 Bane of Progress
1 Archfiend of Depravity
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Pir's Whim
1 Yavimaya Granger
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Stomping Ground
1 Mountain
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Necrogenesis
1 Command Tower
1 Blighted Woodland
1 Myriad Landscape
1 Hour of Promise
1 Soul's Fire
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
1 Grow from the Ashes
1 Chandra's Ignition
1 Necropotence
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
1 Slaughter
1 Journey to Eternity
1 Kher Keep
1 Xenagos, the Reveler
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
1 Forest
1 Helm of Possession
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Agent of Erebos
1 Ondu Giant
1 Golden Guardian
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
1 Snow-Covered Swamp
1 Tana, the Bloodsower
1 Ogre Slumlord
1 Greater Good
1 Swamp
1 Tana, the Bloodsower
1 Dragonmaster Outcast
1 Perilous Forays
1 Necrogenesis
1 Dusk Legion Zealout
1 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Merciless Executioner
1 Ulvenwald Hydra
1 Grow from the Ashes
1 Mogis, God of Slaughter
1 Birthing Pod
1 Viscera Seer
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Caustic Caterpillar
1 Dusk Legion Zealot
1 Ulvenwald Hydra
1 Sylvan Ranger
1 Genesis
1 Yavimaya Granger
1 Gray Merchant of Ashphodel
1 Ondu Giant
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Ogre Slumlord
1 Cultivate
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Darksteel Plate
1 Attrition
3 Forest
3 Swamp
2 Mountain
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Terastodon
1 Harvester of Souls
1 Engulfing Slagwurm
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Kaervek the Merciless
1 Garruk's Packleader
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Ophiomancer
1 Elemental Bond
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
1 Blasphemous Act
1 Essence Harvest
1 Soul's Fire
1 Golgari Charm
1 Rishkar's Expertise
1 Rampant Growth
1 Karplusan Forest
1 Savage Lands
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Command Tower
1 City of Brass
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Ophiomancer
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Gyre Sage
1 Sylvan Ranger
1 Swamp
1 Mogis, God of Slaughter
1 Hell's Caretaker
1 Heroic Intervention
1 Swamp
1 Journey to Eternity
1 Blighted Woodland
1 Grave Titan
1 Seasons Past
1 Engulfing Slagwurm
1 Forest
1 Corpsejack Menace
1 Feldon of the Third Path
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Gyre Sage
1 Yavimaya Granger
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Kaervek the Merciless
1 Xenagos, the Reveler
1 Seasons Past
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Whispersilk Cloak
1 Key to the City
1 Arena
1 Arch of Orazca
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Charnelhoard Wurm
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 Prowler's Helm
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Forest
1 Grim Backwoods
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
1 Sol Ring
1 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
1 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
1 Fling
1 Asceticism
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 City of Brass
1 Burning Anger
1 Gutter Grime
1 Hamletback Goliath
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
1 Grim Feast
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Verdant Sun's Avatar
1 Forest
1 Feldon of the Third Path
1 Yavimaya Granger
1 Bane of Progress
1 Blasphemous Act
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Taurean Mauler
1 Borderland Ranger
1 Warchief Giant
1 Butcher of Malakir
2 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
1 Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
1 Journey to Eternity
1 Greater Good
1 Civic Wayfinder
1 Stalking Vengeance
1 Rescue from the Underworld
1 Outpost Siege
1 Tendershoot Dryad
1 Ulvenwald Tracker
1 Soul's Fire
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
1 Taurean Mauler
1 Warchief Giant
1 Essence Harvest
1 Savage Lands
1 Mosswort Bridge
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Blighted Woodland
3 Snow-Covered Swamp
1 Pelakka Wurm
1 Soulblast
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Endbringer
1 Captivating Crew
1 Pathbreaker Ibex
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Wild Wanderer
1 Primal Growth
1 Frontier Siege
3 Forest
4 Swamp
2 Wastes
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Tendershoot Dryad
1 Ulvenwald Tracker
1 Soul's Fire
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
1 Taurean Mauler
1 Warchief Giant
1 Essence Harvest
1 Savage Lands
1 Mosswort Bridge
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Blighted Woodland
3 Snow-Covered Swamp
1 Pelakka Wurm
1 Soulblast
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Endbringer
1 Captivating Crew
1 Pathbreaker Ibex
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Wild Wanderer
1 Primal Growth
1 Frontier Siege
3 Forest
4 Swamp
2 Wastes
Most of the lands are just upgrades for utility or better fixing. I cut the Wastes because I cut Endbringer.
Even though the deck is Creature centric, I decided to go with good 4 drop ramp instead of the one or so lands. Without Primal Growth, there was no point of the Crew stealing a Creature. I also added a lot of noncreature spells, so I cut Thar because I know he would cause me too much grief.
Soulblast was added in the original list for the lawls, here I am putting in better ways to kill fling for damage.
My goal is to spam the board with tokens, so when they die to incidental or are fed for fodder, Kresh gets more swole.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
I know vanilla creatures tend to be bad, but I would at least give Malignus a shot. Even though it's vanilla, a 20/20 (most of the time) for 5 mana is very good. It is probably the best card in my Kresh deck, although I am also running most of the power matters cards: Greater Good, Disciple of Bolas, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds, Pathbreaker Ibex, etc. Any time you have Kresh in play and sac it, you're instantly putting Kresh at the lethal 21 power. Combine it with Xenagos and you can one shot anyone at the table with haste. Throw it at the table with Jarad, buff Kresh at the same time, then throw Kresh and you can just kill everyone. Also works great with Rishkar's Expertise and Chandra's Ignition, which I see you are running.
Victimize may be something to consider as well.
1 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
1 Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
1 Journey to Eternity
1 Greater Good
1 Civic Wayfinder
1 Stalking Vengeance
1 Rescue from the Underworld
1 Outpost Siege
I like Stalking Vengeance's ability to make my board undesirable to Wrath; however, I prefer to lower the average CMC of my deck. Too many things cost too much mana to cast. Also, Vengeance requires the Creature to die, which is awkward with my Commander. Jarad can send Kresh to the Commander zone, still do the damage, do it in the form of life loss and hits the whole table. Overall, I feel like Jarad is a great trade. The only thing that could be a problem is if he doesn't get big.
Rescue is cool but there might not be targets or I don't have 5 mana open. Journey is more my speed and provides me more grind potential.
Outpost Siege is a decent card draw engine; Greater Good in comparison is absurd.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
The Unidentified Fantastic Flying Girl.
EDH
Xenagos, the God of Stompy
The Gitrog Monster: Oppressive Value.
Marchesa, Marionette Master - Undying Robots
Yuriko, the Hydra Omnivore
I make dolls as a hobby.
1 Feldon of the Third Path
1 Yavimaya Granger
1 Bane of Progress
1 Blasphemous Act
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Taurean Mauler
1 Borderland Ranger
1 Warchief Giant
1 Butcher of Malakir
2 Forest
1 Mountain
Borderland grabs a basic to hand, Granger puts it into play and Echo plays perfectly into Kresh's desires of Creatures dying.
Bane of Progress has a lot more impact than the Warchief Giant. I was hoping the Giant would force trades or blocks, but that didn't happen. While this deck does like its Artifacts and Enchantments, it probably likes serving up a big Creature that blows those up. Which then also makes Kresh get big if the Bane dies.
I was deciding between cutting Butcher of Malakir or Charnelhoard Wurm. I know Butcher, it's great and does well. So I decided to try out the Wurm, as the ability to Regrowth a card is solid. This is where I put plushpenguin's Blasphemous Act suggestion into action.
I felt like the deck was a little Swamp light, hence my decision to cut another Forest instead of a Swamp for Shizo. Otherwise, one more colorless for utility in the form of Yaviymaya Hollow and mana fixing in Reflecting Pool for another Forest and a Mountain.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Grim Feast
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Verdant Sun's Avatar
1 Forest
Miren helps me gain life and kills my own Creatures to make Kresh bigger.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Fling
1 Asceticism
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 City of Brass
1 Burning Anger
1 Gutter Grime
1 Hamletback Goliath
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
I've been finding Kresh getting targeted and randomly messed with, so when I found an Asceticism I decided to protect him and other assets. I really like Gutter Grime, it reminds me of Daxos the Returned's mechanic but it is too slow for something outside of the Command Zone. With a heavy heart, I cut the Grime.
I found a Sheoldred, so I put it in the deck. As scary as the Goliath gets, it is definitely the definition of winmore. With Sheoldred, she's going to bring bodies back for Kresh and for me to enjoy that sweet ETBs. Also, she will cause peoples' Creatures to die, feeding Kresh. It sucks that such a good card exists but if the shoe fits, wear it.
I've been finding I've had too much Red and not enough Black, so I cut those two basics for City of Brass' color fixing and Tomb's fetchability from Wood Elves, Farseek and Skyshroud Claim.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
1 Sol Ring
1 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
1 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
Arguel's Blood Fast will let me use my excess mana for good things and if I ever dip low, I'll have a second copy of Miren, the Moaning Well. Kazuul wasn't pulling his weight.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Kaervek the Merciless
1 Xenagos, the Reveler
1 Seasons Past
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Whispersilk Cloak
1 Key to the City
1 Arena
1 Arch of Orazca
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Charnelhoard Wurm
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 Prowler's Helm
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Forest
1 Grim Backwoods
I've found that I quickly run out of basics to fetch, hence the cutting of ramp. I am probably going to have to go towards more mana dorks, which has a synergy with Kresh of making bodies that could fuel his gains. This is why I've cut Solemn, Skyshroud and Explosive and begun the replacement process with Xenagos.
Charnelhoard was cool, returning any card but that sometimes was too many hoops to jump through. Seasons Past grabs me what I want and then could potentially show up later to do it all over again.
For some reason, Deathreap rarely triggered. I felt very disappointed with it. Well, I know why: Commanders would die and no trigger would occur. I'm using the Pokeball whose Scry will let me see more cards but also give me draws on Creatures I play.
Prowler's Helm and Trailblazer's Boots are fine ways to deliver Commander Damage; however, I prefer Key for the draw engine aspect and Whispersilk Cloak for Shroud to protect my Commander from being messed with.
I've cut my last basic for Arena, which gives me more removal and makes Kresh bigger. Grim Backwoods felt a little feelsbadman even if I want Creatures to die, instead Arch of Orazca should make my life easier if I end with open mana.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
Though I am in the belief that deck building never ends, you just decide to stop. Not sure if you'll like this plus I know I'm going to make some changes, such as probably finding room for Gyre Sage and Heroic Intervention in place of Corpsejack Menace because it feels like a winmore.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
Kresh is a blast to play, but in essence I agree with Tev. The building never stops, really. Mine is more or less set for the moment, but that's more because it's a vorthos deck first and foremost.
Nonetheless, I can't recommend Kresh enough. He's super fun, and while he will never be super super competitive, most decks built around him are capable of producing a win from absolutely nowhere, usually in spectacular fashion. He's one of those commanders that, to me, is the epitome of big battlecruiser EDH. Lots of drastic changes in boardstate, lots of fun. Similar in that respect to his Shards of Alara fellow legendary, Thraximundar.
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Gyre Sage
1 Yavimaya Granger
1 Farhaven Elf
I chose to cut the Granger and Farhaven Elves because they costed the most out of my land ramp for basics. Sakura-Tribe Elder is amazing, the other 2 drop Sorceries are good and Sylvan Ranger is nice for setup. Wood Elves, Farseek, Into the North and Nature's Lore can fetch duals, so they are probably going to spared the axe if I need to make more cuts.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Engulfing Slagwurm
1 Forest
1 Corpsejack Menace
1 Feldon of the Third Path
Feldon felt like the card with the most strings after curring the Corpsejack Menace, so Feldon got turned into a Forest.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Grave Titan
1 Seasons Past
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
Solid change: plenty of fodder to sac if needed, favourable combatant with deathtouch, same CMC. Seasons Past isn't the recursion you're after in this deck anyway. At the same CMC I'd prefer Deadbridge Chant or Demon of Dark Schemes.
1 Heroic Intervention
1 Swamp
1 Journey to Eternity
1 Blighted Woodland
I've been finding that I rip Basics out of my deck really quickly, so I'm cutting another Basic fetcher for hopefully a more stable mana base.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Mogis, God of Slaughter
1 Hell's Caretaker
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Ophiomancer
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Gyre Sage
1 Sylvan Ranger
1 Swamp
Sylvan Ranger got axed because of the low basic count in the deck and my desire for more draw potential. I decided to go with Graveborn Muse over a non-Creature draw engine for a few reasons. One, if it dies it feeds Kresh; two, it can swing and block, carrying Sword of the Animist; three, Ruric Thar, the Unbowed won't punch me in the head for casting her; and four, she scales with Zombies so it is possible to draw 3-5 cards late game depending on what's out on my board.
Volrath's Stronghold is an amazing utility land and so it replaces a Swamp. This card gets shuffled around my decks as I'm trying to find a home; I think the Creature quality is big enough in Kresh that the Stronghold will pay off.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
1 Birthing Pod
1 Viscera Seer
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Caustic Caterpillar
1 Dusk Legion Zealot
1 Ulvenwald Hydra
1 Sylvan Ranger
1 Genesis
1 Yavimaya Granger
1 Gray Merchant of Ashphodel
1 Ondu Giant
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Ogre Slumlord
1 Cultivate
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Darksteel Plate
1 Attrition
3 Forest
3 Swamp
2 Mountain
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Terastodon
1 Harvester of Souls
1 Engulfing Slagwurm
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Kaervek the Merciless
1 Garruk's Packleader
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Ophiomancer
1 Elemental Bond
1 Arguel's Blood Fast
1 Blasphemous Act
1 Essence Harvest
1 Soul's Fire
1 Golgari Charm
1 Rishkar's Expertise
1 Rampant Growth
1 Karplusan Forest
1 Savage Lands
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Command Tower
1 City of Brass
1 Reflecting Pool
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
I like where the deck is going. It's starting to look really tight. Awakening Zone has done great work for me as a combination of ramp and sac outlets. Garruk Wildspeaker may be an upgrade over Xenagos, fills a very similar role but also gives you quick access to an overrun ability that could be a game ended with enough tokens on board.
1 Grow from the Ashes
1 Mogis, God of Slaughter
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs