After hearing a lot of buzz around Oathbreaker, I decided to build my own deck for it. This build is still untested, but goldfishing has proven promising thus far.
Mill?
Yes, mill. Mill is never quite good enough for Commander, both because of the multiplayer element and the fact that decks are 99 cards. While Oathbreaker still has the multiplayer problem, it solves the big deck problem by having decks that start at 58 cards. This particular build is focusing on effects that can mill all opponents (or all players) and not using single target spells like Glimpse the Unthinkable.
Why Ashiok, Dream Render and Bond of Insight?
Ashiok's activated ability hoses every opponent's graveyard with each activation, lessening another weakness of the mill archetype. The fact that Ashiok hoses searching is added value, but not something I've built any of the deck around. The exile is far more important and allows for fun inclusions such as Web of Inertia. As for Bond of Insight, it's one of the few instants and sorceries that mills everyone, and the fact that it can return other spells to my hand is pure card advantage. Also, its 4 CMC curves nicely on the turn following Ashiok.
Why Persistent Petitioners?
Because they're fun and they mill a lot of cards once you get them going. In this format, each activation is more than 1/5 of a player's starting deck size. Also, playing them lets me play fun cards like Perilous Research, Secret Salvage, and Intruder Alarm.
Why no Laboratory Maniac?
Because I want to win by milling out my opponents and not myself. That's why.
---
Feedback is welcome, and I'm happy to discuss the inclusion/exclusion of any other cards you might care to suggest.
You can see mana curve and other deck data on the tappedout page here.
Minds Aglow seems ... interesting? I get it in theory but it's something I would always be looking to cut, personally.
I don't get Minister of Inquiries or Trusted Advisor. I get that they're, well, advisors for the Petitioners (and combo with each other a bit), but that seems like a weak synergy. Hedron Crab could replace the Minister for single target mill that is easier to repeat, and Manic Scribe is good for grinding everyone out. Since you're milling everyone with your SS I figure delirium is cake to turn on.
Get rid of Bubble Matrix because it seriously hoses all my cheap damage based board wipes that would otherwise wreck your plan.
"Restriction breeds creativity." - Sheldon Menery on EDH / Commander in Magic: The Gathering
"Cancel Culture is the real reason why everyone's not allowed to have nice things anymore." - Anonymous
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" - Mark 8:36
"Most men and women will grow up to love their servitude and will never dream of revolution." - Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
"Every life decision is always a risk / reward proposition." - Sanjay Gupta
Minds Aglow seems ... interesting? I get it in theory but it's something I would always be looking to cut, personally.
I don't get Minister of Inquiries or Trusted Advisor. I get that they're, well, advisors for the Petitioners (and combo with each other a bit), but that seems like a weak synergy. Hedron Crab could replace the Minister for single target mill that is easier to repeat, and Manic Scribe is good for grinding everyone out. Since you're milling everyone with your SS I figure delirium is cake to turn on.
Get rid of Bubble Matrix because it seriously hoses all my cheap damage based board wipes that would otherwise wreck your plan.
My instinct is to suggest more control elements like countermagic and removal but in such a proactive deck they might not be too great.
Minds Aglow serves the same purpose as a mill spell, but is more likely to have other players pay into it than Shared Trauma. Also, it can let me actually eliminate players on my turn without waiting for their turns as well as refilling my hand.
Trusted Advisor and Minister of Inquiries are in slots that would be more Petitioners if they weren't those cards. Crab and Scribe aren't advisors and the deck doesn't have room for more non-advisor creatures. Also, Trusted Advisor synergizes not only with Minister, but also with Intruder Alarm and Kefnet's Monument. The point of this build is to have it be a Petitioners build, which means I forego traditional mill cards like Crab and Scribe in favor of Petitioners and cards that synergize with them.
I'm not a fan of River of Tears in general. The deck is mostly blue and losing out on a blue mana because I didn't tap my land at the right time isn't something I'm interested in walking into face-first.
Thrumming Stone is expected with Petitioners, though, and I generally don't want a ton of them out at once anyway. I would rather play other cards like Perilous Research and Secret Salvage that can synergize with them in that way and still allow me to control their flow onto the battlefield.
I do agree that the deck could maybe use a recycling card or two, though.
It feels like the horrible things you'll face in Oathbreaker at times aren't accounted for with your interaction here. Your only answer for these earlier decks like Huatli and Gideon (who can present easy T3-4 kills on one player) is Counterspell?
If you're playgroup is, like yourself, building Oathbreaker decks as if they were EDH decks then sure, this will do fine. However, one of the big appeals for Oathbreaker is how fast the format is, which in my experience has led to a LOT of aggro decks and things like Storm.
Dark Ritual for T1 Ashiok or just general ramp seems like a must too, even letting you get Web or Matrix out earlier.
It feels like the horrible things you'll face in Oathbreaker at times aren't accounted for with your interaction here. Your only answer for these earlier decks like Huatli and Gideon (who can present easy T3-4 kills on one player) is Counterspell?
If you're playgroup is, like yourself, building Oathbreaker decks as if they were EDH decks then sure, this will do fine. However, one of the big appeals for Oathbreaker is how fast the format is, which in my experience has led to a LOT of aggro decks and things like Storm.
Dark Ritual for T1 Ashiok or just general ramp seems like a must too, even letting you get Web or Matrix out earlier.
My exposure to the format is limited. In what way is it faster? A lot of the fast mana and such is banned, so I don't quite get how it can be that much faster than Commander. Please elaborate?
My exposure to the format is limited. In what way is it faster? A lot of the fast mana and such is banned, so I don't quite get how it can be that much faster than Commander. Please elaborate?
Sure.
20 life is an easy number to knock down with the same effective pool of EDH. Fast mana isn't all banned, just the key things as with the EDH ban list along with Sol Ring, Mana Vault and Mana Crypt. Mox Diamond and pals are still usable, which makes artifact storm decks like Saheeli, Sublime Artificer able to pull off early combo wins consistently (bonus points seeing as you don't even need to use their triggered effects to set off Saheeli's passive).
Huatli, Heart of the Sun can play Birds of Paradise or Arboreal Grazer turn one into something like Skinshifter or Indomitable Ancients a turn after. With Huatli on board you've spent only 3 or 4 turns amassing something like 13 damage. Your opponent either has blockers/removal, or dies to Tower Defense. If you're not worried about creature aggro, then Koth of the Hammer would be happy to introduce an easy to reach emblem that provides tough inevitability to overcome. Something that makes more sense in Oathbreaker than EDH for example, are effects that grant you hexproof, or prevent non combat damage. Decks like Koth and Ral, Storm Conduit don't tend to have outs to these effects, or other ways to win.
Gideon led decks will also often dump down a T1-2 aggro creature, T3 Gideon and follow it with Armageddon before knocking down whoever is likely to recover fastest first. If all you do in that time is set up a slower game plan, you will lose.
The speed of Oathbreaker is its biggest appeal to me, due to the refreshing rate compared to EDH. I still love me some durdly Vial Smasher plays, but that sort of deck would get massacred in this format.
Are you looking for a lock out? Mist of Stagnation might work. I had some success with it in the past.
It also has a unique condition where upon triggering, the affected player must untap a permanent for each card in their graveyard. They may only choose a permanent once. Theoretically you could force a heavily milled opponent into the position of untapping your petitioners. Theoretically.
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1x Ashiok, Dream Render
Signature Spell
1x Bond of Insight
Creature (20)
1x Minister of Inquiries
1x Trusted Advisor
16x Persistent Petitioners
1x Consuming Aberration
1x Havengul Lich
Artifact (4)
1x Meekstone
1x Howling Mine
1x Kefnet's Monument
1x Bubble Matrix
Instant (4)
1x Swan Song
1x Counterspell
1x Memory Lapse
1x Far // Away
1x Minds Aglow
1x Shared Trauma
1x Desperate Research
1x Mind Grind
1x Secret Salvage
Enchantment (3)
1x Intruder Alarm
1x Web of Inertia
1x Forced Fruition
Land (22)
1x Choked Estuary
1x Command Tower
1x Darkslick Shores
1x Drowned Catacomb
1x Fetid Pools
7x Island
1x Nephalia Drownyard
1x Polluted Delta
1x Shelldock Isle
1x Sunken Hollow
1x Sunken Ruins
1x Swamp
1x Tainted Isle
1x Temple of Deceit
1x Underground Sea
1x Watery Grave
Mill?
Yes, mill. Mill is never quite good enough for Commander, both because of the multiplayer element and the fact that decks are 99 cards. While Oathbreaker still has the multiplayer problem, it solves the big deck problem by having decks that start at 58 cards. This particular build is focusing on effects that can mill all opponents (or all players) and not using single target spells like Glimpse the Unthinkable.
Why Ashiok, Dream Render and Bond of Insight?
Ashiok's activated ability hoses every opponent's graveyard with each activation, lessening another weakness of the mill archetype. The fact that Ashiok hoses searching is added value, but not something I've built any of the deck around. The exile is far more important and allows for fun inclusions such as Web of Inertia. As for Bond of Insight, it's one of the few instants and sorceries that mills everyone, and the fact that it can return other spells to my hand is pure card advantage. Also, its 4 CMC curves nicely on the turn following Ashiok.
Why Persistent Petitioners?
Because they're fun and they mill a lot of cards once you get them going. In this format, each activation is more than 1/5 of a player's starting deck size. Also, playing them lets me play fun cards like Perilous Research, Secret Salvage, and Intruder Alarm.
Why no Laboratory Maniac?
Because I want to win by milling out my opponents and not myself. That's why.
---
Feedback is welcome, and I'm happy to discuss the inclusion/exclusion of any other cards you might care to suggest.
You can see mana curve and other deck data on the tappedout page here.
magicjudge.tumblr.com
GWU Angus Mackenzie's Fog of War GWU / B Sheoldred's Sleepless Cemetery B / R Ashling's Purifying Pilgrimage R
U Unesh's Sphinx Storm U / R Ib's Goblins: What It Says On The Tin R / UR Okaun & Zndrsplt Flip Out UR
Oathbreaker: UB Ashiok's Persistent Nightmare UB
I don't get Minister of Inquiries or Trusted Advisor. I get that they're, well, advisors for the Petitioners (and combo with each other a bit), but that seems like a weak synergy. Hedron Crab could replace the Minister for single target mill that is easier to repeat, and Manic Scribe is good for grinding everyone out. Since you're milling everyone with your SS I figure delirium is cake to turn on.
Get rid of Bubble Matrix because it seriously hoses all my cheap damage based board wipes that would otherwise wreck your plan.
River of Tears could replace an Island.
My instinct is to suggest more control elements like countermagic and removal but in such a proactive deck they might not be too great.
[Primer] Erebos, God of the Dead
HONK HONK
"Restriction breeds creativity." - Sheldon Menery on EDH / Commander in Magic: The Gathering
"Cancel Culture is the real reason why everyone's not allowed to have nice things anymore." - Anonymous
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" - Mark 8:36
"Most men and women will grow up to love their servitude and will never dream of revolution." - Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
"Every life decision is always a risk / reward proposition." - Sanjay Gupta
Minds Aglow serves the same purpose as a mill spell, but is more likely to have other players pay into it than Shared Trauma. Also, it can let me actually eliminate players on my turn without waiting for their turns as well as refilling my hand.
Trusted Advisor and Minister of Inquiries are in slots that would be more Petitioners if they weren't those cards. Crab and Scribe aren't advisors and the deck doesn't have room for more non-advisor creatures. Also, Trusted Advisor synergizes not only with Minister, but also with Intruder Alarm and Kefnet's Monument. The point of this build is to have it be a Petitioners build, which means I forego traditional mill cards like Crab and Scribe in favor of Petitioners and cards that synergize with them.
I'm not a fan of River of Tears in general. The deck is mostly blue and losing out on a blue mana because I didn't tap my land at the right time isn't something I'm interested in walking into face-first.
Thrumming Stone is expected with Petitioners, though, and I generally don't want a ton of them out at once anyway. I would rather play other cards like Perilous Research and Secret Salvage that can synergize with them in that way and still allow me to control their flow onto the battlefield.
I do agree that the deck could maybe use a recycling card or two, though.
magicjudge.tumblr.com
GWU Angus Mackenzie's Fog of War GWU / B Sheoldred's Sleepless Cemetery B / R Ashling's Purifying Pilgrimage R
U Unesh's Sphinx Storm U / R Ib's Goblins: What It Says On The Tin R / UR Okaun & Zndrsplt Flip Out UR
Oathbreaker: UB Ashiok's Persistent Nightmare UB
If you're playgroup is, like yourself, building Oathbreaker decks as if they were EDH decks then sure, this will do fine. However, one of the big appeals for Oathbreaker is how fast the format is, which in my experience has led to a LOT of aggro decks and things like Storm.
Dark Ritual for T1 Ashiok or just general ramp seems like a must too, even letting you get Web or Matrix out earlier.
My exposure to the format is limited. In what way is it faster? A lot of the fast mana and such is banned, so I don't quite get how it can be that much faster than Commander. Please elaborate?
magicjudge.tumblr.com
GWU Angus Mackenzie's Fog of War GWU / B Sheoldred's Sleepless Cemetery B / R Ashling's Purifying Pilgrimage R
U Unesh's Sphinx Storm U / R Ib's Goblins: What It Says On The Tin R / UR Okaun & Zndrsplt Flip Out UR
Oathbreaker: UB Ashiok's Persistent Nightmare UB
Sure.
20 life is an easy number to knock down with the same effective pool of EDH. Fast mana isn't all banned, just the key things as with the EDH ban list along with Sol Ring, Mana Vault and Mana Crypt. Mox Diamond and pals are still usable, which makes artifact storm decks like Saheeli, Sublime Artificer able to pull off early combo wins consistently (bonus points seeing as you don't even need to use their triggered effects to set off Saheeli's passive).
Huatli, Heart of the Sun can play Birds of Paradise or Arboreal Grazer turn one into something like Skinshifter or Indomitable Ancients a turn after. With Huatli on board you've spent only 3 or 4 turns amassing something like 13 damage. Your opponent either has blockers/removal, or dies to Tower Defense. If you're not worried about creature aggro, then Koth of the Hammer would be happy to introduce an easy to reach emblem that provides tough inevitability to overcome. Something that makes more sense in Oathbreaker than EDH for example, are effects that grant you hexproof, or prevent non combat damage. Decks like Koth and Ral, Storm Conduit don't tend to have outs to these effects, or other ways to win.
Gideon led decks will also often dump down a T1-2 aggro creature, T3 Gideon and follow it with Armageddon before knocking down whoever is likely to recover fastest first. If all you do in that time is set up a slower game plan, you will lose.
The speed of Oathbreaker is its biggest appeal to me, due to the refreshing rate compared to EDH. I still love me some durdly Vial Smasher plays, but that sort of deck would get massacred in this format.
It also has a unique condition where upon triggering, the affected player must untap a permanent for each card in their graveyard. They may only choose a permanent once. Theoretically you could force a heavily milled opponent into the position of untapping your petitioners. Theoretically.