333
6/5/2023
Rayami - Fatal Force
Deck Size: 100
Commander / EDH
Legal
Est deck cost: $1573.08
Salt Sum: 35.36
No deck tags
333
6/5/2023
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Commander

Quantity: 1Price: $0.99
Rayami, First of the Fallen

If a nontoken creature would die, exile that card with a blood counter on it instead. As long as an exiled creature card with a blood counter on it has flying, Rayami, First of the Fallen has flying. The same is true for first strike, double strike, deathtouch, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, protection, reach, trample, and vigilance.

Creature
Rayami, First of the Fallen (c19) 48
1

Artifact

Quantity: 6Price: $51.74
Arcane Signet

{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.

Artifact
Arcane Signet (mic) 157
1
Birthing Pod

({G/P} can be paid with either {G} or 2 life.) {1}{G/P}, {T}, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a creature card with mana value equal to 1 plus the sacrificed creature's mana value, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle. Activate only as a sorcery.

Artifact
Birthing Pod (j20) 7
1
Blackblade Reforged

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each land you control. Equip legendary creature {3} Equip {7}

Artifact
Blackblade Reforged (ss2) 8
1
Pact Weapon

As long as Pact Weapon is attached to a creature, you don't lose the game for having 0 or less life. Whenever equipped creature attacks, draw a card and reveal it. The creature gets +X/+X until end of turn and you lose X life, where X is that card's mana value. Equip—Discard a card.

Artifact
Pact Weapon (clb) 576
1
Sol Ring

{T}: Add {C}{C}.

Artifact
Sol Ring (c19) 221
1
Vorpal Sword

Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has deathtouch. {5}{B}{B}{B}: Until end of turn, Vorpal Sword gains "Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game." Equip {B}{B}

Artifact
Vorpal Sword (afr) 377
1

Creature

Quantity: 29Price: $177.58
Acidic Slime

Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.) When Acidic Slime enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact, enchantment, or land.

Creature
Acidic Slime (cmr) 673
1
Argentum Masticore

First strike, protection from multicolored At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Argentum Masticore unless you discard a card. When you discard a card this way, destroy target nonland permanent an opponent controls with mana value less than or equal to the mana value of the discarded card.

Creature Artifact
Argentum Masticore (one) 393
1
Baleful Strix

Flying, deathtouch When Baleful Strix enters the battlefield, draw a card.

Creature Artifact
Baleful Strix (afc) 177
1
Bone Shredder

Flying Echo {2}{B} (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay its echo cost.) When Bone Shredder enters the battlefield, destroy target nonartifact, nonblack creature.

Creature
Bone Shredder (mh2) 272
1
Bontu the Glorified

Menace, indestructible Bontu the Glorified can't attack or block unless a creature died under your control this turn. {1}{B}, Sacrifice another creature: Scry 1. Each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

Creature
Bontu the Glorified (akh) 82
1
Decimator of the Provinces

Emerge {6}{G}{G}{G} (You may cast this spell by sacrificing a creature and paying the emerge cost reduced by that creature's mana value.) When you cast this spell, creatures you control get +2/+2 and gain trample until end of turn. Trample, haste

Creature
Decimator of the Provinces (emn) 2
1
Elder Gargaroth

Vigilance, reach, trample Whenever Elder Gargaroth attacks or blocks, choose one — • Create a 3/3 green Beast creature token. • You gain 3 life. • Draw a card.

Creature
Elder Gargaroth (m21) 373
1
Eradicator Valkyrie

Flying, lifelink, hexproof from planeswalkers Boast — {1}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Each opponent sacrifices a creature or planeswalker. (Activate only if this creature attacked this turn and only once each turn.)

Creature
Eradicator Valkyrie (khm) 353
1
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted

Indestructible As long as your devotion to black is less than five, Erebos isn't a creature. Whenever another creature you control dies, you may pay 2 life. If you do, draw a card. {1}{B}, Sacrifice another creature: Target creature gets -2/-1 until end of turn.

Creature Enchantment
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted (thb) 93
1
Froghemoth

Trample, haste Whenever Froghemoth deals combat damage to a player, exile up to that many target cards from their graveyard. Put a +1/+1 counter on Froghemoth for each creature card exiled this way. You gain 1 life for each noncreature card exiled this way.

Creature
Froghemoth (afr) 384
1
Garruk's Harbinger

Hexproof from black Whenever Garruk's Harbinger deals combat damage to a player or planeswalker, look at that many cards from the top of your library. You may reveal a creature card or Garruk planeswalker card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.

Creature
Garruk's Harbinger (m21) 307
1
Glissa Sunslayer

First strike, deathtouch Whenever Glissa Sunslayer deals combat damage to a player, choose one — • You draw a card and you lose 1 life. • Destroy target enchantment. • Remove up to three counters from target permanent.

Creature
Glissa Sunslayer (one) 461
1
Hydroid Krasis

When you cast this spell, you gain half X life and draw half X cards. Round down each time. Flying, trample Hydroid Krasis enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.

Creature
Hydroid Krasis (prna) 183s
1
Kels, Fight Fixer

Menace Whenever you sacrifice a creature, you may pay {U/B}. If you do, draw a card. ({U/B} can be paid with either {U} or {B}.) {1}, Sacrifice a creature: Kels, Fight Fixer gains indestructible until end of turn.

Creature
Kels, Fight Fixer (jmp) 15
1
Mulldrifter

Flying When Mulldrifter enters the battlefield, draw two cards. Evoke {2}{U} (You may cast this spell for its evoke cost. If you do, it's sacrificed when it enters the battlefield.)

Creature
Mulldrifter (sld) 373
1
Night Incarnate

Deathtouch When Night Incarnate leaves the battlefield, all creatures get -3/-3 until end of turn. Evoke {3}{B} (You may cast this spell for its evoke cost. If you do, it's sacrificed when it enters the battlefield.)

Creature
Night Incarnate (c18) 17
1
Nighthawk Scavenger

Flying, deathtouch, lifelink Nighthawk Scavenger's power is equal to 1 plus the number of card types among cards in your opponents' graveyards.

Creature
Nighthawk Scavenger (znr) 341
1
Nightveil Predator

Flying, deathtouch Hexproof (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)

Creature
Nightveil Predator (grn) 191
1
Phyrexian Crusader

First strike, protection from red and from white Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)

Creature
Phyrexian Crusader (sld) 1214
1
Questing Beast

Vigilance, deathtouch, haste Questing Beast can't be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less. Combat damage that would be dealt by creatures you control can't be prevented. Whenever Questing Beast deals combat damage to an opponent, it deals that much damage to target planeswalker that player controls.

Creature
Questing Beast (eld) 372
1
Rankle, Master of Pranks

Flying, haste Whenever Rankle, Master of Pranks deals combat damage to a player, choose any number — • Each player discards a card. • Each player loses 1 life and draws a card. • Each player sacrifices a creature.

Creature
Rankle, Master of Pranks (eld) 101
1
Rhonas the Indomitable

Deathtouch, indestructible Rhonas the Indomitable can't attack or block unless you control another creature with power 4 or greater. {2}{G}: Another target creature gets +2/+0 and gains trample until end of turn.

Creature
Rhonas the Indomitable (akh) 182
1
Sanguine Spy

Menace, lifelink {1}, Sacrifice another creature: Surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card into your graveyard.) At the beginning of your end step, if there are five or more mana values among cards in your graveyard, you may pay 2 life. If you do, draw a card.

Creature
Sanguine Spy (snc) 93
1
Scavenged Brawler

Flying, vigilance, trample, lifelink {5}, Exile Scavenged Brawler from your graveyard: Choose target creature. Put four +1/+1 counters, a flying counter, a vigilance counter, a trample counter, and a lifelink counter on that creature. Activate only as a sorcery.

Creature Artifact
Scavenged Brawler (brc) 64
1
Stonecoil Serpent

Reach, trample, protection from multicolored Stonecoil Serpent enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.

Creature Artifact
Stonecoil Serpent (eld) 385
1
Sylvan Caryatid

Defender, hexproof {T}: Add one mana of any color.

Creature
Sylvan Caryatid (ths) 180
1
Toski, Bearer of Secrets

This spell can't be countered. Indestructible Toski, Bearer of Secrets attacks each combat if able. Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.

Creature
Toski, Bearer of Secrets (khm) 319
1
Trygon Predator

Flying Whenever Trygon Predator deals combat damage to a player, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment that player controls.

Creature
Trygon Predator (tsr) 389
1
Venomthrope

Flying, deathtouch, hexproof

Creature
Venomthrope (40k) 147★
1

Enchantment

Quantity: 4Price: $93.46
Attrition

{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Destroy target nonblack creature.

Enchantment
Attrition (mp2) 19
1
Binding the Old Gods

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.) I — Destroy target nonland permanent an opponent controls. II — Search your library for a Forest card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. III — Creatures you control gain deathtouch until end of turn.

Enchantment
Binding the Old Gods (khm) 206
1
Rhystic Study

Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may draw a card unless that player pays {1}.

Enchantment
Rhystic Study (pcy) 45
1
Seal of Doom

Sacrifice Seal of Doom: Destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

Enchantment
Seal of Doom (dis) 53
1

Instant

Quantity: 10Price: $196.90
Cyclonic Rift

Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand. Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")

Instant
Cyclonic Rift (2xm) 339
1
Deathsprout

Destroy target creature. Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

Instant
Deathsprout (war) 189
1
Fierce Guardianship

If you control a commander, you may cast this spell without paying its mana cost. Counter target noncreature spell.

Instant
Fierce Guardianship (c20) 35
1
Force of Despair

If it's not your turn, you may exile a black card from your hand rather than pay this spell's mana cost. Destroy all creatures that entered the battlefield this turn.

Instant
Force of Despair (mh1) 92
1
Growth Spiral

Draw a card. You may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.

Instant
Growth Spiral (sta) 124
1
Hagra Mauling

Instant
Hagra Mauling // Hagra Broodpit (znr) 339Hagra Mauling // Hagra Broodpit (znr) 339
1
Return of the Wildspeaker

Choose one — • Draw cards equal to the greatest power among non-Human creatures you control. • Non-Human creatures you control get +3/+3 until end of turn.

Instant
Return of the Wildspeaker (eld) 373
1
Slaughter Pact

Destroy target nonblack creature. At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay {2}{B}. If you don't, you lose the game.

Instant
Slaughter Pact (tsr) 138
1
Snuff Out

If you control a Swamp, you may pay 4 life rather than pay this spell's mana cost. Destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

Instant
Snuff Out (ddd) 53
1
Village Rites

As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature. Draw two cards.

Instant
Village Rites (sta) 98
1

Land

Quantity: 37Price: $911.24
Alchemist's Refuge

{T}: Add {C}. {G}{U}, {T}: You may cast spells this turn as though they had flash.

Land
Alchemist's Refuge (sld) 358
1
Blighted Woodland

{T}: Add {C}. {3}{G}, {T}, Sacrifice Blighted Woodland: Search your library for up to two basic land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

Land
Blighted Woodland (tsr) 405
1
Bojuka Bog

Bojuka Bog enters the battlefield tapped. When Bojuka Bog enters the battlefield, exile target player's graveyard. {T}: Add {B}.

Land
Bojuka Bog (moc) 391
1
Boseiju, Who Endures

{T}: Add {G}. Channel — {1}{G}, Discard Boseiju, Who Endures: Destroy target artifact, enchantment, or nonbasic land an opponent controls. That player may search their library for a land card with a basic land type, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle. This ability costs {1} less to activate for each legendary creature you control.

Land
Boseiju, Who Endures (neo) 266
1
Breeding Pool

({T}: Add {G} or {U}.) As Breeding Pool enters the battlefield, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, it enters the battlefield tapped.

Land
Breeding Pool (dis) 172
1
Command Beacon

{T}: Add {C}. {T}, Sacrifice Command Beacon: Put your commander into your hand from the command zone.

Land
Command Beacon (cmr) 349
1
Command Tower

{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.

Land
Command Tower (c20) 264
1
Deathcap Glade

Deathcap Glade enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. {T}: Add {B} or {G}.

Land
Deathcap Glade (vow) 281
1
Dreamroot Cascade

Dreamroot Cascade enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. {T}: Add {G} or {U}.

Land
Dreamroot Cascade (vow) 282
1
Fabled Passage

{T}, Sacrifice Fabled Passage: Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. Then if you control four or more lands, untap that land.

Land
Fabled Passage (pw21) 4
1
Flooded Grove

{T}: Add {C}. {G/U}, {T}: Add {G}{G}, {G}{U}, or {U}{U}.

Land
Flooded Grove (exp) 35
1
Forest

({T}: Add {G}.)

Land
Forest (zen) 246
3
Grim Backwoods

{T}: Add {C}. {2}{B}{G}, {T}, Sacrifice a creature: Draw a card.

Land
Grim Backwoods (sld) 354
1
Island

({T}: Add {U}.)

Land
Island (zen) 234
2
Misty Rainforest

{T}, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice Misty Rainforest: Search your library for a Forest or Island card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.

Land
Misty Rainforest (zne) 10
1
Morphic Pool

Morphic Pool enters the battlefield tapped unless you have two or more opponents. {T}: Add {U} or {B}.

Land
Morphic Pool (zne) 17
1
Opal Palace

{T}: Add {C}. {1}, {T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity. If you spend this mana to cast your commander, it enters the battlefield with a number of additional +1/+1 counters on it equal to the number of times it's been cast from the command zone this game.

Land
Opal Palace (cmr) 352
1
Otawara, Soaring City

{T}: Add {U}. Channel — {3}{U}, Discard Otawara, Soaring City: Return target artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker to its owner's hand. This ability costs {1} less to activate for each legendary creature you control.

Land
Otawara, Soaring City (neo) 414
1
Overgrown Tomb

({T}: Add {B} or {G}.) As Overgrown Tomb enters the battlefield, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, it enters the battlefield tapped.

Land
Overgrown Tomb (rtr) 243
1
Polluted Delta

{T}, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice Polluted Delta: Search your library for an Island or Swamp card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.

Land
Polluted Delta (zne) 2
1
Rejuvenating Springs

Rejuvenating Springs enters the battlefield tapped unless you have two or more opponents. {T}: Add {G} or {U}.

Land
Rejuvenating Springs (cmr) 709
1
Shipwreck Marsh

Shipwreck Marsh enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. {T}: Add {U} or {B}.

Land
Shipwreck Marsh (mid) 285
1
Sunken Ruins

{T}: Add {C}. {U/B}, {T}: Add {U}{U}, {U}{B}, or {B}{B}.

Land
Sunken Ruins (exp) 27
1
Swamp

({T}: Add {B}.)

Land
Swamp (zen) 238
3
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire

{T}: Add {B}. Channel — {3}{B}, Discard Takenuma, Abandoned Mire: Mill three cards, then return a creature or planeswalker card from your graveyard to your hand. This ability costs {1} less to activate for each legendary creature you control.

Land
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire (neo) 416
1
Twilight Mire

{T}: Add {C}. {B/G}, {T}: Add {B}{B}, {B}{G}, or {G}{G}.

Land
Twilight Mire (exp) 33
1
Undergrowth Stadium

Undergrowth Stadium enters the battlefield tapped unless you have two or more opponents. {T}: Add {B} or {G}.

Land
Undergrowth Stadium (cmr) 359
1
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Each land is a Swamp in addition to its other land types.

Land
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth (plc) 165
1
Verdant Catacombs

{T}, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice Verdant Catacombs: Search your library for a Swamp or Forest card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.

Land
Verdant Catacombs (zne) 8
1
Watery Grave

({T}: Add {U} or {B}.) As Watery Grave enters the battlefield, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, it enters the battlefield tapped.

Land
Watery Grave (gtc) 249
1
Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth

Each land is a Forest in addition to its other land types.

Land
Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth (mh2) 480
1
Zagoth Triome

({T}: Add {B}, {G}, or {U}.) Zagoth Triome enters the battlefield tapped. Cycling {3} ({3}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Land
Zagoth Triome (iko) 313
1

Sorcery

Quantity: 13Price: $141.17
Agadeem's Awakening

Sorcery
Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt (znr) 336Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt (znr) 336
1
Bone Shards

As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature or discard a card. Destroy target creature or planeswalker.

Sorcery
Bone Shards (mh2) 395
1
Casualties of War

Choose one or more — • Destroy target artifact. • Destroy target creature. • Destroy target enchantment. • Destroy target land. • Destroy target planeswalker.

Sorcery
Casualties of War (pwar) 187s
1
Cultivate

Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal those cards, put one onto the battlefield tapped and the other into your hand, then shuffle.

Sorcery
Cultivate (sta) 114
1
Deadly Brew

Each player sacrifices a creature or planeswalker. If you sacrificed a permanent this way, you may return another permanent card from your graveyard to your hand.

Sorcery
Deadly Brew (stx) 176
1
Kodama's Reach

Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal those cards, put one onto the battlefield tapped and the other into your hand, then shuffle.

Sorcery
Kodama's Reach (cmr) 681
1
Maelstrom Pulse

Destroy target nonland permanent and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent.

Sorcery
Maelstrom Pulse (puma) U24
1
Mythos of Brokkos

If {U}{B} was spent to cast this spell, search your library for a card, put that card into your graveyard, then shuffle. Return up to two permanent cards from your graveyard to your hand.

Sorcery
Mythos of Brokkos (iko) 329
1
Sea Gate Restoration

Sorcery
Sea Gate Restoration // Sea Gate, Reborn (znr) 333Sea Gate Restoration // Sea Gate, Reborn (znr) 333
1
Selective Adaptation

Reveal the top seven cards of your library. Choose from among them a card with flying, a card with first strike, and so on for double strike, deathtouch, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, trample, and vigilance. Put one of the chosen cards onto the battlefield, the other chosen cards into your hand, and the rest into your graveyard.

Sorcery
Selective Adaptation (c20) 65
1
Skyshroud Claim

Search your library for up to two Forest cards, put them onto the battlefield, then shuffle.

Sorcery
Skyshroud Claim (bbd) 213
1
Toxic Deluge

As an additional cost to cast this spell, pay X life. All creatures get -X/-X until end of turn.

Sorcery
Toxic Deluge (cc2) 6
1
Turntimber Symbiosis

Sorcery
Turntimber Symbiosis // Turntimber, Serpentine Wood (znr) 364Turntimber Symbiosis // Turntimber, Serpentine Wood (znr) 364
1

Deck Stats

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Description

{"ops":[{"insert":"Next deck to build!\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Rayami, First of the Fallen - "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Fatal Force"},{"insert":"\n\nThis was a really fun list to put together - Rayami has always piqued my interest as he asks for two focuses - Keywords, and killing stuff - however both have a catch. Keywords are typically the purvue of White ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Odric, Lunarch Marshal"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Akroma, Vision of Ixidor"}},{"insert":", etc) where you can amplify the power of your keyword-filled creatures, but selfish Rayami wants your cool keyword creatures to die to steal their power, requiring methods of cheaply losing your own creatures instead. And as for killing things, Rayami is once again selfish - he replaces their deaths with exiling, meaning you can't access many of the great \"dies\" triggers as well ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dictate of Erebos"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Morbid Opportunist"}},{"insert":", etc). I love a good set of restrictions, so he's always gotten me curious - and, as a bonus, he's got built in control against graveyard nonsense!\n\nWhat I've come up with is a deck focused on these tenets:\n\nRayami wants all the abilities. Even at 5 power, he'll be hard to answer and hard to fight, so eventually he'll win the game off of commander damage, even if he can't always pull off big one-shots."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Killing the opponents' creatures is great - so we'll pack lots of ways to do it cheaply (or for free!)."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"We can't guarantee the opponents' creatures will have keywords for Rayami to siphon - so we will also ensure every creature in our deck has keyword abilities, and we'll pack in extra ways to sacrifice them to ensure we can get them added to Rayami."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nOur creature pool is thus loaded with creatures that have keywords and also often do other useful things. Utility creatures like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Trygon Predator"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Froghemoth"}},{"insert":" provide some interaction with opponents, while value creatures like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mulldrifter"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kels, Fight Fixer"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Garruk's Harbinger"}},{"insert":" keep cards flowing while still threatening to empower Rayami if they die while he's in play. Special attention was paid to creatures that can do this on their own - Mulldrifter is joined by creatures like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Night Incarnate"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spiketail Hatchling"}},{"insert":" who can be set up to ensure they become blood donations. And there are a few creatures here who bridge various gaps in the themes admirably - as a few examples, the classic "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nekrataal"}},{"insert":" both provides the more uncommon First Strike and gives us another kill effect, and the less classic "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Decimator of the Provinces"}},{"insert":" provides Trample and Haste, gives you a sacrifice outlet on his own, and can set up an alpha attack or at least provide the key number of +2 power to speed up Rayami's commander damage clock. Even newer cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rankle, Master of Pranks"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Eradicator Valkyrie"}},{"insert":" also provide hosts of keyword abilities alongside repeatable all-sacrifice effects for even more blood for the blood...vampire. And some creatures simply made it in because they have a lot of keyword abilities for the investment, or their abilities are rarer "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"and "},{"insert":"more valuable, like Hexproof and Indestructible. Even if Rayami can't stick, these are powerful creatures who can carry us to victory on their own if given a little space and a controlled board to do so.\n\nThe suite of carefully chosen keyword creatures are supplemented by various support permanents and spells - with the range of mana values and a decent amount of ETB effects, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Birthing Pod"}},{"insert":" is an extremely obvious choice for the deck, and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Selective Adaptation"}},{"insert":" is simply a super fun draw spell for the deck that can load your hand up with creatures if you get a nice hit. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Attrition"}},{"insert":" is extremely potent at doing everything we want to do and keeping the opponents from gaining too much ground, and a few small sacrifice spells like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Village Rites"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bone Shards"}},{"insert":" round out our sacrifice options while keeping the mana requirements easy.\n\nBecause we'll likely be casting on curve a lot - especially to get Rayami in play and keep him there - being set up to play removal spells while tapped out is critical. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Seal of Doom"}},{"insert":" can sit in play until Rayami makes it to the board, and we have several options for free-cast kill spells in "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Slaughter Pact"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Snuff Out"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Force of Despair"}},{"insert":". While the goal is to make him nearly invincible, there are always ways to get around that, so free or cheap answers like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fierce Guardianship"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Simic Charm"}},{"insert":" are there to help keep him safe and swinging. While I initially wanted to play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Subtlety"}},{"insert":" and blue Forces as well, this particular build simply didn't have enough Blue cards to support their free-cast requirements consistently.\n\nThe final component of the deck is ways to make Rayami's hits hurt. We have no access to Double Strike creatures in GUB, so if we can get lucky and kill an opponent's, that's great, but outside of that we are looking for ways to pump up our damage as much as we can. The breakpoints for Rayami are giving him +2 power (7 power = 3 connections to kill someone via commander damage) and +6 power (2 connections for a commander damage kill). Options for good +6 power buffs are lacking, but "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blackblade Reforged"}},{"insert":" is by far the most cost effective means of hitting that value. For +2 options, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rhonas the Indomitable"}},{"insert":" can be activated, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Opal Palace"}},{"insert":" can be used (on second+ cast), Decimator of the Provinces can be played, and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vorpal Sword"}},{"insert":" can be equipped - as well as simply providing kill shots on its own on our likely difficult to block vampire commander. And with the right setup combining with those other cards, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Unnatural Growth"}},{"insert":" can get Rayami into one-shot-kill range as well. And, as mentioned before, our creatures are still good on their own - if Rayami isn't getting there, our other keyword creatures can still carry a Vorpal Sword to victory or a massive pump can be set up on an Infecting "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Crusader"}},{"insert":".\n\nI'm very excited to get this deck together and try it out - it's got a pile of cool cards that simply wouldn't be played in many other decks, and still promises some powerful lines of play. Rayami will be a feared threat, though not often a one-shot threat, which should provide for a lot of fun and tense showdowns and potential for intriguing political play.\n"}]}
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