{"ops":[{"insert":"Blech — You’re Such a PEST!"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nBlech, Loafing Pest is a sneaky boy that reads innocently: whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on each Pest, Bat, Insect, Snake, and Spider you control. The trick is that this deck gains life constantly, in small, repeatable increments — and every single trigger grows the entire board."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe deck is built on three interlocking engines:"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t1.\tIncidental lifegain — creatures entering (Essence Warden, Prosperous Innkeeper), creatures dying (Deathgreeter, Blood Artist, South Wind Avatar, Cauldron of Essence), lands dropping (Lifegift), opponents bleeding (Bloodthirsty Conqueror). Every one of these is a Blech trigger."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\t2.\tCounter amplification — Hardened Scales and Winding Constrictor turn each trigger into two or three counters per creature. Roaming Throne (name Pest) doubles Blech’s trigger outright, and Weaver of Harmony copies any trigger that matters."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\t3.\tType unification — Maskwood Nexus, Springleaf Parade’s changeling tokens, Soulstone Sanctuary, and Abundant Countryside make everything a Snake/Pest/Insect, so Blech’s trigger hits your whole board, not just the tribal creatures."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nOnce the engine turns over, you win through combat with enormous deathtouch-trample threats, or you drain the table out without ever attacking."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nWin Conditions"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"1. The Drain Loop (primary combo). Enduring Tenacity + Bloodthirsty Conqueror ends the game on the spot. Gain any amount of life → Tenacity drains an opponent that much → Conqueror gains it right back → repeat until the table is dead. Any single point of lifegain starts it. Redundancy is everywhere:"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tProfessor Dellian Fel’s −6 emblem is a second copy of the Tenacity half."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tWeaver of Harmony copies Tenacity’s trigger for double drain even outside the loop."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tTenacity is hard to keep off the board — it returns as an enchantment when it dies, so a board wipe doesn’t break the loop for long."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n2. Combat. Blech triggers stack fast. With one amplifier and a couple of lifegain pingers, your board grows 3–5 power per creature, per turn cycle. Bushmaster gives everything with a counter deathtouch; Duskshell Crawler, Sphere Grid, and Shadowspear grant trample — deathtouch + trample means only 1 damage is ever assigned to a blocker and the rest hits face. Ohran Frostfang turns every connection into a card. Aphelia’s activation halves life totals on hit, which pairs disgustingly with a wide deathtouch board."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n3. Incremental drain. Even without the loop, South Wind Avatar, Blood Artist, Cauldron of Essence, and The Meathook Massacre bleed the table every time anything dies — and things die constantly here. With Enduring Tenacity out, every gained point is a drained point, so “incremental” becomes “alarming” quickly."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe Aristocrats Sub-Engine"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The sacrifice package is what makes the deck resilient rather than just fast:"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tSac outlets: Phyrexian Tower, Miren, Susur Secundi, Dina, Cauldron of Essence, Tend the Pests, Diabolic Intent, Birthing Pod"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tDeath payoffs: Blood Artist, Deathgreeter, South Wind Avatar, Cauldron of Essence, The Meathook Massacre"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tValue loops: Disciple of Freyalise sac’ing a huge counter-laden creature draws a fistful of cards and triggers Blech. The Ozolith catches all the counters when something dies and redeploys them at your next combat. Moseo, Vein’s New Dean reanimates a creature every end step scaled to how much life you gained that turn — in this deck, that’s usually “anything you want back.”"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tTend the Pests converts one big body into an army of Pests that each gain life (= Blech triggers) when they die."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Every death gains life → every lifegain grows the board. Board wipes hurt you far less than they should."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe Flash Angle"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Vedalken Orrery quietly changes how the deck plays. Holding up Orrery mana means:"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tDeploy engines at the last opponent’s end step, dodging a full turn cycle of sorcery-speed removal."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tFlash in Bushmaster mid-combat to give your board deathtouch as a surprise ambush."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tFlash in Enduring Tenacity or Bloodthirsty Conqueror in response to removal on the other half of the combo."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tEmeritus of Woe enters “prepared” holding a free tutor — with the sac engine running, two creatures die most turns, so it re-prepares itself continually."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe Big Engines"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tThe Great Henge — often lands turn 4–5 for 2–3 mana off a big creature, and it’s the single best card in the deck once resolved: mana, a lifegain trigger, a counter, and a card off every creature."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tThe One Ring — protection from everything the turn it lands, then an escalating draw engine. The life loss is trivial when you gain 5+ a turn, and each upkeep loss is offset the moment anything triggers."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tBlack Market Connections — treasure, cards, and changeling bodies (which are Pests!) every upkeep. The life payments are a rounding error."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tHollowmurk Siege (Sultai) — a card every turn just for putting counters on things, which is the deck’s entire identity."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tSeedborn Muse — untaps Three Tree City, Cryptolith Rite creatures, Dina, Cauldron, and Susur Secundi every turn cycle. Quietly one of the strongest cards here, and absurd with Vedalken Orrery."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tThe Soul Stone — indestructible ramp that becomes a free reanimation engine once harnessed; exiling a spent token or a Pest is nearly free."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nHow the Deck Plays"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Turns 1–3: Setup. Land, then a counter enabler or pinger (Hardened Scales, Winding Constrictor, Essence Warden, Deathrite Shaman, Sol Ring). Blech on turn 3 is fine but not mandatory — the enablers matter more than the commander early."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Turns 4–6: Engine assembly. Get one lifegain pinger + one amplifier + Blech online. The Great Henge or The One Ring usually lands here. Birthing Pod starts chaining: sac a 2-drop for Duskshell Crawler, a 3-drop for South Wind Avatar or Bushmaster, a 4-drop for Enduring Tenacity or Seedborn Muse — the pod chain literally assembles your combo."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Turns 7+: Close. Either the board is lethal with evasive deathtouch-trample, or you assemble the Tenacity/Conqueror loop. Tutors (Vampiric, Diabolic Intent, Emeritus of Woe, Birthing Pod) almost always fetch a combo half or Heroic Intervention depending on threat level. With Orrery, do all of this at instant speed."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nMulligan Guide"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Keep hands with:"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\t2–3 lands + at least one of: Hardened Scales, Winding Constrictor, Essence Warden, Deathrite Shaman, Sol Ring, Dark Ritual into something."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tA tutor + lands is keepable — the deck’s density of engine pieces means tutors fix any hand."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Ship hands that are all payoff, no engine (e.g. Enduring Tenacity, The One Ring, Meathook, 3 lands — powerful cards, nothing to do before turn 5)."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Key Interactions & Rules Notes"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tBlech triggers once per lifegain event, not per point. Gaining 4 life at once is one counter, not four. This is why many small triggers (Blood Artist, Essence Warden, Lifegift) beat one big heal for Blech."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tHeroic Feast is the opposite: it scales with the amount gained — gain 6, put a counter on up to 6 creatures. Small triggers feed Blech; big ones feed the Feast. The deck does both."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tRoaming Throne on “Pest” doubles Blech. If Maskwood Nexus is out, Throne doubles every creature’s triggered ability — Blood Artist, South Wind Avatar, Bloodthirsty Conqueror, Moseo. This gets silly."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tWinding Constrictor + Hardened Scales: each counter event becomes +3 per creature (base 1 → Scales +1 → Constrictor +1)."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tBloodthirsty Conqueror + The Meathook Massacre: cast Meathook for X and every opposing creature that dies drains — the wipe becomes a one-sided drain-and-rebuild."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tUrborg + Yavimaya fix everything, and Yavimaya lets Boseiju, Who Endures hit any nonbasic since all opposing lands are Forests."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tSlippery Bogbonder flashes in to give a threatened creature hexproof, then piles every counter on your board onto it — a combat trick, a rescue, and a haymaker in one card."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tTalon Gates of Madara — a free land drop from hand (any 2+ power creature stations it in via phasing), plus phasing as protection or a fog on an attacker."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tSusur Secundi stations off any fat counter-laden body and then converts sacrifices into huge card draws."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Weaknesses & How Opponents Beat You"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tLifegain hate (Tainted Remedy, Rampaging Ferocidon, Knight of Dawn’s Light) turns the commander and the combo off. Boseiju, Archdruid’s Charm, Haywire Mite, and Pest Infestation are your outs — don’t waste them."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tExile-based wipes (Farewell) blank The Ozolith and the graveyard loops. Hold Heroic Intervention / Tamiyo’s Safekeeping for these, not for spot removal."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tGraveyard hate hurts Moseo, The Soul Stone, and Agadeem’s Awakening (Bojuka Bog cuts both ways)."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tFast combo — your clock is real but usually turn 7–9. Imp’s Mischief and Veil of Summer are your only true interaction against spellslinger tables; sequence them carefully. Imp’s Mischief redirecting removal from a combo piece (or a counterspell onto itself) wins games."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Notable Card Choices"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tCommand Beacon — Blech dies a lot (it’s a lightning rod), and commander tax adds up in a deck that wants it out every turn."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tWitch’s Clinic — lifelink on Blech means every point of combat damage is another trigger for the whole board. Hidden Hideout does the same for any counter-laden creature."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tVedalken Orrery — off-flavor for Golgari, on-flavor for a deck that wants to hold interaction and deploy engines. See “The Flash Angle” above."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tWhiptongue Hydra — Golgari’s eternal problem is flyers; this wipes them all and gets massive doing it."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tCulling Ritual — sweeps opposing mana rocks and dorks, kills your own expendable Pests (each one a lifegain trigger), and ramps you into a haymaker in the same turn."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tArcane Lighthouse / Shadowspear — hexproof and indestructible commanders don’t get to hide from a deathtouch board."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\t•\tCavern of Souls / Prowling Serpopard — your creatures resolve, full stop."},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"}]}