I am looking to build a Sythis, Harvest's Hand deck. Currently looking to fill a secondary win combo with the white portion. I am having trouble finding something that isn't an infinite combo. If possible, I would like to avoid that. If need be, can be mixed with green.
I'm running the same commander as you and looking to update my deck as mine doesn't seem to be very competitive. I am liking a lot of what I see in this deck. Think I am going to steal some of the ideas.
Cards I enjoyed my deck, which may suit you well are Five-Alarm Fire and Manamorphose But the last one might set over the budget.
I really like this deck. I am looking at trying to build a deck that is not a traditional massive token deck. From what I can see, I don't think any creature doublers would be needed to make this deck work. Only thing I would suggest, maybe because it is based on play group, is some more control.
I have given myself a goal of making one deck of every colour. So far I have done W Darien, King of Kjeldor W , U Jalira, Master Polymorphist U and G Orochi the Token Master G. After a lot of thought, and trying to find the perfect commander. This is my attempt at making a black deck.
The theme of this deck is to make it an oppressive as possible while still avoiding Grave Pact effects, tutors and infinite combos. A reason for avoiding grave pact effects to try to challenge myself in different creations of decks. More so since I currently have two decks that run very heavily off these effects. For the tutors, I have found they make very boring and very predictable games. Opponents will often save removal for whenever a tutor is used. Infinite combos are boring game play. I play this game to enjoy myself, even if a lose, as long as me and my opponents have fun it is a good game.
Not to go into every individual card, but I think this is a very typical black deck. There is a lot of creature control and card draw in order to keep the game in my favour, and also to keep my opponents on the constant defensive. I understand that very quickly people will release that playing creatures will only help my commander to grow stronger, which is the main idea. I have some minor equipment to boost up the commander if needed when to either gain the final points needed to kill or when people stop playing creatures.
I still feel like this deck is missing a final touch. I just can't seem to place my finger on what is missing. Just my luck it will be either grave pact effects, tutors or infinite combos. Any suggestions are more than welcomed.
Tombstone Stairwell might be a decent card to add into the deck. Should be able to combo with other effects and give you a nice advantage. Choice of Damnations may not suit the deck very well, but I find it a nice black card that can quickly reduce any threats on the board.
I like the deck and looking to build one with the same commander. I may take a couple of the ideas from you.
Just bringing this deck back up to the top to see if anyone can suggest any changes or improvements to the deck. It has been a while since I updated this check. Just in curious for the changes you can see the old deck list blow.
Most of the changes in the deck was made to make it a more heavy hitter with spells like Angel of Despair. I know cards like this will not be brought back into my hand, but a nice way to make them pay the three life. I also removed a lot of the tutors because I become bored playing with them. I have also removed most of the life gain as I noticed it did little to help with me.
In my version of the deck I am putting together I am wanting to add tainted strike. I figured it would be an easy way to kill off two opponents. But then again I do mainly play multiplayer and running into an issue of killing my commander in order to choose another opponent to target. And by contrast I am also considering Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon.
Homarid Spawning Bed plus Fylamarid works. Include some creature stealing cards and you can swipe your opponent's creatures, sac 'em and profit.
I didn't think of that idea. I do have some creature stealing abilities but I use them on my commander. Making tokens from them would be a better idea. Thank you for the suggestion.
Thank you for all the suggestions. I have the deck built but I find the deck kind of lags behind others. Think the major reason is I have trouble being able to play the commanders ability.
Here is a search for all noncreature creature token producers with a blue color identity. There are a few false positives in there and most of the options are pretty bad, but your best options should be covered and there are only 104 cards total. you should be able to pare that down to the stuff you actually want to play. Outside of noncreature options, Meloku the Clouded Mirror, Stitcher Geralf, and Talrand, Sky Summoner create tokens and can't be flipped by Jalira. You can also run other legendary creatures and manlands as creatures that Jalira won't flip, which lets you have a board presence when the Jalira plan doesn't work.
Thank you for the list. Some good options but most are pricy. Looking at the list Mergatroid_Jones posted as well...doesn't look like there is much of a choice. But I do think Meloku the Clouded Mirror would be a nice placement in the deck
I am looking for some help on finding some blue token creators. I am finding it hard to find any recent stuff for blue. Or in that manner, anything worth adding into a deck. I looking to add it for a Jalira, Master Polymorphist Commander deck.
I have also changed Riptide Replicator from the maybe board to the deck. I have added tainted lands to the deck to help with the mana curve. I will be fixing the card descriptions soonish.
I would suggest looking for up the lands that start Tainted. They come in untapped but will only tap for a colour mana if you control a basic land of that type. May help with your many tap lands. An example of one is tainted field. From what I can tell Crypt Ghast will have very little use in your deck. Other then that you seem to know what you have to much of, you just need to find what is worth the cost and cut it. One suggestion I will make, which might be based more on me, personally, is that I find counter spells in EDH kind of useless, especially in multiplayer games. Unless you want to run a lot more 4 and probably with abilities to reuse them from the graveyard.
There is not much history with this deck. This is my attempt at making a mono green colour deck. The goal is to make a mono colour deck of every colour. I choose Patron of the Orochi because I loved this creatures since the first day I saw him. Took me a while to figure a deck idea around him. I ended up on tokens.
I think the biggest weakness I have in this deck is that I don't have any snakes that allows the use of snake offering on the commander. Even though I am playing the commander buy paying the full cost, I hope that only reduces the threat of the commander.
The strength of the deck is that I many cards which is designed to work around board wipes and pillow forts which would normally be a weakness for a large scale token deck.
This commander is perfect since it allows the ability to untap all forests combined with token generators that you pay to create tokens with.
Ant Queen : Must have for any token generating deck. Cheap and easy to make tokens. Allows for a fast swarm of the board. It is considered one of the best green token generation creatures.
Centaur Glade : More expensive to create tokens but the 3/3 is worth the cost. Another advantage is that the enchantment will be harder to remove compared to creatures. My play group often runs board wipes.
Jade Mage : Not the best token generator, but can be decent for early game tokens, also a decent backup if my other generators are killed off. Does work nicely with Nemata, Grove Guardian for the extra boost.
Kazandu Tuskcaller : A decent token generator if the game isn't moving in your direction. Also a decent early game move with a decent level cost.
Mycoloth : Used for late game to create a massive swarm every turn to wear down my opponents. Can also be used to direct hate away from Ant Queen. Does work nicely with Nemata, Grove Guardian for the extra boost.
Nemata, Grove Guardian : A decent token generator with an added bonus of increasing its own tokens.
Verdant Force : Think I mainly added that this card because it is a personal favourite for green decks. I like the fact there is a token on every persons turn. Nice chump blockers. Does work nicely with Nemata, Grove Guardian for the extra boost.
Wren's Run Packmaster : Little harder to run unless you stock elves. This deck should have enough. The price of the tokens for a 2/2 is a decent price. Added bonus is that it gives the token it creates deathtouch. I find this often makes people second guess how they block.
The deck could run off less token generators in replacement of more tutors. Since this deck does not run on very many I felt that there needed to be more ways to produce tokens to offset what may turn out to be a weakness of the deck.
Mana Fixing
Green has a ton of ways to mana fix. A lot of those ways are placed into the deck which is why I'm running with only 34 lands. Patron of the Orochi also works very well for mana ramping. Being able to tap my lands just to untap and retap. The same thing happens with creature ramp.
Boundless Realms : Bit of a pricey card but well worth the cost. Doubles your current land count.
Caged Sun : Must have for any mono coloured deck. Mana doubler. Added bonus of pumping the tokens up.
Cultivate and Kodama's Reach and Nissa's Pilgrimage : I like the ability to play one land and keep one in the hand. A decent way to make sure you don't miss a land drop or the ability to play both lands if you happened to miss the land drop. Added bonus considering the deck runs on 34 lands.
Joraga Treespeaker : Since there is a decent number of elves in this deck. When levelled, which shouldn't take long with this deck, can add work well in speeding this deck up.
Karametra's Acolyte : An interesting card I stumbled across. Works best with a large board but paired with any of the draw cards and Vedalken Orrery should make it a card worth adding into the deck.
Khalni Heart Expedition : A must have in any green deck. Works well with other forms of land ramps.
Rampant Growth : Cheap mana ramp. Pretty basic in all green decks.
Search for Tomorrow : Just like Rampant Growth but if your willing to wait a couple turns can be a decent turn one move.
Verdant Haven and Weirding Wood : Decent mana ramping. More difficult to remove compared to the creatures.
Vernal Bloom : Mana doubler. Can be slightly troublesome against other mono green decks but this commander deck should be able to get more bang out of this card.
Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger : Mana doubler. Added bonus of preventing your opponents from using their lands. A decent way to draw hate away from token generators.
Zendikar Resurgent : Mana doubler that only effects you. Has the added bonus of being able to draw cards.
Tutors
I never been a huge fan of tutors. I find they tend to make the game boring and predictable. Sadly, I have found my play group has become more competitive and I'm needing ways to better arm my decks. I have tried to use lesser tutors. Even though I call these cards tutors, I do understand that they are not really tutors.
Brutalizer Exarch : Decent tutor that has more then one function depending how the game is going. Can fetch most of the token generator.
Enshrined Memories : The more you pay the greater chance of getting what you're looking for. An added bonus of keeping all creatures you find.
Fierce Empath : Reduced amount of cards that it call. But it does allow the tutor of the strongest token generators.
Genesis Hydra : The more you pay into the card the greater the chance of getting what you're looking for. The added bonus of being able to play any card. A second bonus is the creature it creates.
Genesis Wave : A must have in any green deck. Once this card is played, you most likely won the game. Able to get nearly every card you find on the field. Should use with as much mana as possible.
Card Draw
Green is not known for a large amount of card draw. But there is a decent set of spells that can draw cards. I decided to avoid these for artifacts that can produce better and more constant returns.
Book of Rass : As long as you have mana you can keep your hand full. This deck should be able to easily keep the mana requirement. The lose of life is minor, after all life is just a resource. Should be able to pull a win before you die.
Diviner's Wand : Decent way to pump up a creature. Should equipped on a blocker. 4 mana can be expensive but worth the cost and shouldn't be to hard to pay.
Elvish Visionary : One time use but does work well to set up Wren's Run Packmaster
Hermit of the Natterknolls : My favourite kind of draw. Makes people decide whether or not is it worth playing spells knowing they will be giving me card advantage. A downside is that it can overwhelm your hand. A risk I am willing to take.
Lurking Predators : usually one of my favourite cards for green. The reason I choose not to add it to this deck is to keep some of the randomness out of my gameplay. For this kind of deck I would rather being in control of what hits the field and when it does hit the field.
Mind's Eye : Beautiful card when combined with Patron of the Orochi. Can make opponents second guess using their own draw cards. 5 mana costing cost and 1 mana for use is well worth the cost.
Well of Knowledge : Can be a tricky card to use as it does give some power towards your opponents but based on this deck it is very unlikely they will be able to use the card as much as I can. Easy way to flood the your hand then flood the board.
For the Win
This deck works off the classic green win conditions. Have more and larger creatures. Overwhelm the board by boosting those creatures up and pumping them up.
Beastmaster Ascension : An awesome pump and with a token deck, super easy to get the 7 counters need to activate. If possible, play before all other win combos.
Decimator of the Provinces : Replacement card for Craterhoof Behemoth. Does the same trick but to a much less degree. I feel Craterhoof Behemoth is not worth the money. Should be easy enough to play with the Emerge mechanic, if it is even needed. 10-mana in this kind of deck is nothing to worry about. Slight boost the creatures and trample is a decent win combo. Can work even better when combined with the other wins.
Kamahl, Fist of Krosa : A decent pump giving +3 and trample. Also acts a decent anti board wipe with the threat of turning their own lands into creatures.
Overwhelming Stampede : Works best with a large creature on the board. Usually a large boost to creatures and all with trample.
Thunderfoot Baloth : A decent finisher. Gives a small boost and gives trample.
Cards for the Commander
This commander has a lot of cards that can work to create some synergy in the deck. This section will have some the random card choices that was added into the deck.
Doubling Season + Parallel Lives : More tokens are always a good thing. If both are in play, the first one will trigger giving an extra tokens, the second will trigger on each token giving you an extra two tokens. One token will end up as 4.
Illusionist's Bracers : Equipped on Patron of the Orochi to double the untap ability. To use tap everything you can, tap the commander and pay the 2 mana cost on Illusionist's Bracers and respond to the second tap ability by tapping everything again. Allows you to tap everything 3 times.
Lightning Greaves + Swiftfoot Boots : Protection best used on the commander. Can be placed on the token generators if both are in play.
Thousand-Year Elixir : Handy for most of the creatures in the deck. Can give you a minor mana boost by paying the 1 mana to retap a mana producer. Allows Patron of the Orochi to have haste. The faster his ability is used, the better off you are.
Vedalken Orrery : Nice combos with the draw cards and Patron of the Orochi. The commander will ensure you have mana every turn to flash the cards in and the draw cards will keep your hand full
.
I added quite a few Naturalize spells in this deck because my play group likes to play with pillow forts. This deck can grind away at those kind of players, but it can be a slow process. This is my attempt at speeding this deck up against those kind of players.
This deck also carries a lot of graveyard revival cards. My favourite being Praetor's Counsel. This is to keep you on track in case there is a deck of heavy removal or board wipes. Since green is not a known colour for being able to survive against those kind of plays.
There are many planewalkers to choose from in green. I found most of them are pointless in this kind of deck. However, I decided to stick with one. The reason I decided to use Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury is because of the token creation that produces mana. Works will with Doubling Season and Parallel Lives. It has the added ability of being a Naturalize if needed. However, the final ability it a very good one to have, it must be used with caution to mill oneself out in a token based decl. I also find this planeswalker usually has a low threat level.
Maybe...ish
Bow of Nylea : Giving attacking creatures death touch will make sure that I don't have to worry about a return attack if I someone how fail to kill the opponent. The last ability to return items from my graveyard to the bottom of the library may come in handy, but with little tutors may mean I never see those cards again.
Concordant Crossroads : Would be a nice win combo after creating a ton of tokens. Best used after Genesis Wave. It may also solve a weakness of the deck is that nothing has haste. The fact it gives opponents haste as well as little effect. Not only will I have more creatures but the card won't be played till I'm swinging for the win.
Craterhoof Behemoth : Shouldn't be on the maybe board. If I ever get my hands on one it will be added to the deck without a seconds thought despite some of the negative things I said about the card. Probably in replacement of Nylea, God of the Hunt.
Triumph of the Hordes : Infect. Nasty, nasty infect. Not added to the deck quite yet because it will probably draw a lot of early game hate towards me when people realize I use this card to win. The fact I don't have the card in the deck will be a good political tool. Depending how the games go with this deck will decide if use it down the road or not. Will work well with any of the other boosts this deck runs.
Please feel free to suggest any changes to this deck.
Thank you for reading.
I may try Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth + Karma combo.
I am looking to build a Sythis, Harvest's Hand deck. Currently looking to fill a secondary win combo with the white portion. I am having trouble finding something that isn't an infinite combo. If possible, I would like to avoid that. If need be, can be mixed with green.
Thank you
Cards I enjoyed my deck, which may suit you well are Five-Alarm Fire and Manamorphose But the last one might set over the budget.
The theme of this deck is to make it an oppressive as possible while still avoiding Grave Pact effects, tutors and infinite combos. A reason for avoiding grave pact effects to try to challenge myself in different creations of decks. More so since I currently have two decks that run very heavily off these effects. For the tutors, I have found they make very boring and very predictable games. Opponents will often save removal for whenever a tutor is used. Infinite combos are boring game play. I play this game to enjoy myself, even if a lose, as long as me and my opponents have fun it is a good game.
1x Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
Creature (27)
1x Archfiend of Depravity
1x Avatar of Woe
1x Crypt Ghast
1x Crypt Rats
1x Disciple of Bolas
1x Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
1x Erebos, God of the Dead
1x Fleshbag Marauder
1x Grave Titan
1x Gravedigger
1x Guul Draz Assassin
1x Kuon, Ogre Ascendant
1x Magus of the Abyss
1x Magus of the Coffers
1x Merciless Executioner
1x Nighthowler
1x Overseer of the Damned
1x Paragon of Open Graves
1x Pawn of Ulamog
1x Pestilence Demon
1x Reiver Demon
1x Risen Executioner
1x Shriekmaw
1x Sifter of Skulls
1x Skinrender
1x Soldevi Adnate
1x Thrashing Wumpus
1x Dismember
1x Doom Blade
1x Go for the Throat
1x Grasp of Darkness
1x Terror
1x Tragic Slip
1x Wretched Confluence
Sorcery (15)
1x Ancient Craving
1x Barter in Blood
1x Damnation
1x Decree of Pain
1x Ghoulcaller's Chant
1x In Garruk's Wake
1x Innocent Blood
1x Languish
1x Living Death
1x Read the Bones
1x Rise from the Grave
1x Sign in Blood
1x Syphon Mind
1x Toxic Deluge
1x Victimize
1x Blade of the Bloodchief
1x Caged Sun
1x Gilded Lotus
1x Jet Medallion
1x Lashwrithe
1x Lightning Greaves
1x Sol Ring
Enchantment (5)
1x Attrition
1x Bad Moon
1x Greed
1x Phyrexian Arena
1x Phyrexian Reclamation
Land (38)
1x Cabal Coffers
1x Crypt of Agadeem
1x Myriad Landscape
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Shizo, Death's Storehouse
33x Swamp
Not to go into every individual card, but I think this is a very typical black deck. There is a lot of creature control and card draw in order to keep the game in my favour, and also to keep my opponents on the constant defensive. I understand that very quickly people will release that playing creatures will only help my commander to grow stronger, which is the main idea. I have some minor equipment to boost up the commander if needed when to either gain the final points needed to kill or when people stop playing creatures.
I still feel like this deck is missing a final touch. I just can't seem to place my finger on what is missing. Just my luck it will be either grave pact effects, tutors or infinite combos. Any suggestions are more than welcomed.
I like the deck and looking to build one with the same commander. I may take a couple of the ideas from you.
1x Athreos, God of Passage
1x Blood Artist
1x Bloodflow Connoisseur
1x Bloodgift Demon
1x Bloodline Keeper Flip
1x Butcher of Malakir
1x Carrion Feeder
1x Crypt Ghast
1x Disciple of Griselbrand
1x Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
1x Erebos, God of the Dead
1x Falkenrath Noble
1x Gutless Ghoul
1x Hell's Caretaker
1x Massacre Wurm
1x Mentor of the Meek
1x Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1x Nezumi Bone-Reader
1x Phyrexian Broodlings
1x Pontiff of Blight
1x Rhox Faithmender
1x Rune-Scarred Demon
1x Sangromancer
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
1x Skirsdag High Priest
1x Soldevi Adnate
1x Suture Priest
1x Thoughtpicker Witch
1x Viscera Seer
1x Vizkopa Guildmage
1x Banishing Light
1x Black Market
1x Blind Obedience
1x Debtors' Knell
1x Dictate of Erebos
1x Exquisite Blood
1x Gate to Phyrexia
1x Grave Betrayal
1x Grave Pact
1x Greed
1x Malevolent Awakening
1x Oblivion Ring
1x Phyrexian Arena
1x Phyrexian Reclamation
1x Proper Burial
1x Sanguine Bond
Sorcery (10)
1x Beacon of Unrest
1x Beseech the Queen
1x Death Grasp
1x Debt to the Deathless
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Diabolic Intent
1x Dust to Dust
1x Exsanguinate
1x Increasing Ambition
1x Revoke Existence
1x Liliana of the Dark Realms
1x Liliana Vess
1x Sorin Markov
Instant (2)
1x Beacon of Immortality
1x False Cure
Land (35)
1x Barren Moor
1x Caves of Koilos
1x Command Tower
1x Godless Shrine
1x Isolated Chapel
1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1x Opal Palace
1x Phyrexian Tower
3x Plains
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Secluded Steppe
20x Swamp
1x Temple of Silence
1x Temple of the False God
Artifact (4)
1x Carnage Altar
1x Sol Ring
1x Spawning Pit
1x Trading Post
Most of the changes in the deck was made to make it a more heavy hitter with spells like Angel of Despair. I know cards like this will not be brought back into my hand, but a nice way to make them pay the three life. I also removed a lot of the tutors because I become bored playing with them. I have also removed most of the life gain as I noticed it did little to help with me.
I didn't think of that idea. I do have some creature stealing abilities but I use them on my commander. Making tokens from them would be a better idea. Thank you for the suggestion.
I have already added the card. So far it works wonders.
Thank you for the list. Some good options but most are pricy. Looking at the list Mergatroid_Jones posted as well...doesn't look like there is much of a choice. But I do think Meloku the Clouded Mirror would be a nice placement in the deck
I am looking for some help on finding some blue token creators. I am finding it hard to find any recent stuff for blue. Or in that manner, anything worth adding into a deck. I looking to add it for a
Jalira, Master Polymorphist Commander deck.
March from the Tomb
Munda, Ambush Leader
March from the Tomb
Manamorphose
Prophetic Bolt
Psychic Spiral
Eldrazi Displacer
Ghostly Flicker
Mana Echoes
Prismatic Omen
I have also changed Riptide Replicator from the maybe board to the deck. I have added tainted lands to the deck to help with the mana curve. I will be fixing the card descriptions soonish.
I think the biggest weakness I have in this deck is that I don't have any snakes that allows the use of snake offering on the commander. Even though I am playing the commander buy paying the full cost, I hope that only reduces the threat of the commander.
The strength of the deck is that I many cards which is designed to work around board wipes and pillow forts which would normally be a weakness for a large scale token deck.
1x Patron of the Orochi
Creature (27)
1x Ant Queen
1x Arbor Elf
1x Brutalizer Exarch
1x Decimator of the Provinces
1x Elvish Visionary
1x Eternal Witness
1x Fierce Empath
1x Fyndhorn Elves
1x Genesis Hydra
1x Hermit of the Natterknolls Flip
1x Jade Mage
1x Joraga Treespeaker
1x Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
1x Karametra's Acolyte
1x Kazandu Tuskcaller
1x Llanowar Elves
1x Mycoloth
1x Nemata, Grove Guardian
1x Nylea, God of the Hunt
1x Reclamation Sage
1x Thunderfoot Baloth
1x Ulvenwald Captive Flip
1x Verdant Force
1x Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger
1x Voyaging Satyr
1x Wood Elves
1x Wren's Run Packmaster
1x Boundless Realms
1x Cultivate
1x Enshrined Memories
1x Genesis Wave
1x Kodama's Reach
1x Nissa's Pilgrimage
1x Overwhelming Stampede
1x Praetor's Counsel
1x Rampant Growth
1x Ranger's Path
1x Recollect
1x Regrowth
1x Search for Tomorrow
Artifact (10)
1x Book of Rass
1x Caged Sun
1x Diviner's Wand
1x Illusionist's Bracers
1x Lightning Greaves
1x Mind's Eye
1x Swiftfoot Boots
1x Thousand-Year Elixir
1x Vedalken Orrery
1x Well of Knowledge
Land (34)
33x Forest
1x Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1x Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury
Enchantment (10)
1x Beastmaster Ascension
1x Centaur Glade
1x Doubling Season
1x Khalni Heart Expedition
1x Parallel Lives
1x Song of the Dryads
1x Verdant Haven
1x Vernal Bloom
1x Weirding Wood
1x Zendikar Resurgent
Instant (4)
1x Artisan's Sorrow
1x Beast Within
1x Krosan Grip
1x Naturalize
Maybeboard (4)
1x Bow of Nylea
1x Concordant Crossroads
1x Craterhoof Behemoth
1x Triumph of the Hordes
This deck also carries a lot of graveyard revival cards. My favourite being Praetor's Counsel. This is to keep you on track in case there is a deck of heavy removal or board wipes. Since green is not a known colour for being able to survive against those kind of plays.
There are many planewalkers to choose from in green. I found most of them are pointless in this kind of deck. However, I decided to stick with one. The reason I decided to use Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury is because of the token creation that produces mana. Works will with Doubling Season and Parallel Lives. It has the added ability of being a Naturalize if needed. However, the final ability it a very good one to have, it must be used with caution to mill oneself out in a token based decl. I also find this planeswalker usually has a low threat level.
Please feel free to suggest any changes to this deck.
Thank you for reading.