SellingBay
142 views51 days ago
Commander
Size: 100Salt sum: 30.93
Choose your preferred layout. You can mix and match options using the View as & Group by drop-downs above.
Commander
Minthara, Merciless Soul
Minthara has ward , where X is the number of experience counters you have.
At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, you get an experience counter.
Creatures you control get +1/+0 for each experience counter you have.
At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, you get an experience counter.
Creatures you control get +1/+0 for each experience counter you have.
Legendary Creature - Cleric Elf
Commander
(CTRL to add secondary)
Anthem
Anthem
(CTRL to add secondary)
Counters
Barrensteppe Siege
As this enchantment enters, choose Abzan or Mardu.
• Abzan — At the beginning of your end step, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
• Mardu — At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died under your control this turn, each opponent sacrifices a creature of their choice.
• Abzan — At the beginning of your end step, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
• Mardu — At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died under your control this turn, each opponent sacrifices a creature of their choice.
Enchantment
Lae'zel, Vlaakith's Champion
If you would put one or more counters on a creature or planeswalker you control or on yourself, put that many plus one of each of those kinds of counters on that permanent or player instead.
Choose a Background (You can have a Background as a second commander.)
Choose a Background (You can have a Background as a second commander.)
Legendary Creature - Warrior Gith
Counters
(CTRL to add secondary)
Draw
Black Market Connections
At the beginning of your first main phase, choose one or more —
• Sell Contraband — Create a Treasure token. You lose 1 life.
• Buy Information — Draw a card. You lose 2 life.
• Hire a Mercenary — Create a 3/2 colorless Shapeshifter creature token with changeling. You lose 3 life. (It is every creature type.)
• Sell Contraband — Create a Treasure token. You lose 1 life.
• Buy Information — Draw a card. You lose 2 life.
• Hire a Mercenary — Create a 3/2 colorless Shapeshifter creature token with changeling. You lose 3 life. (It is every creature type.)
Enchantment
Elegy Acolyte
Lifelink
Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, you draw a card and lose 1 life.
Void — At the beginning of your end step, if a nonland permanent left the battlefield this turn or a spell was warped this turn, create a 2/2 colorless Robot artifact creature token.
Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, you draw a card and lose 1 life.
Void — At the beginning of your end step, if a nonland permanent left the battlefield this turn or a spell was warped this turn, create a 2/2 colorless Robot artifact creature token.
Creature - Human Cleric
Lolth, Spider Queen
Whenever a creature you control dies, put a loyalty counter on Lolth.
0: You draw a card and you lose 1 life.
−3: Create two 2/1 black Spider creature tokens with reach and menace.
−8: You get an emblem with "Whenever an opponent is dealt combat damage by one or more creatures you control, if that player lost less than 8 life this turn, they lose life equal to the difference."
0: You draw a card and you lose 1 life.
−3: Create two 2/1 black Spider creature tokens with reach and menace.
−8: You get an emblem with "Whenever an opponent is dealt combat damage by one or more creatures you control, if that player lost less than 8 life this turn, they lose life equal to the difference."
Legendary Planeswalker - Lolth
Draw
(CTRL to add secondary)
Land
Adagia, Windswept Bastion
This land enters tapped.
: Add .
Station (Tap another creature you control: Put charge counters equal to its power on this Planet. Station only as a sorcery.)
12+ | , : Create a token that's a copy of target artifact or enchantment you control, except it's legendary. Activate only as a sorcery.
: Add .
Station (Tap another creature you control: Put charge counters equal to its power on this Planet. Station only as a sorcery.)
12+ | , : Create a token that's a copy of target artifact or enchantment you control, except it's legendary. Activate only as a sorcery.
Land - Planet
Susur Secundi, Void Altar
This land enters tapped.
: Add .
Station (Tap another creature you control: Put charge counters equal to its power on this Planet. Station only as a sorcery.)
12+ | , , Pay 2 life, Sacrifice a creature: Draw cards equal to the sacrificed creature's power. Activate only as a sorcery.
: Add .
Station (Tap another creature you control: Put charge counters equal to its power on this Planet. Station only as a sorcery.)
12+ | , , Pay 2 life, Sacrifice a creature: Draw cards equal to the sacrificed creature's power. Activate only as a sorcery.
Land - Planet
Land
(CTRL to add secondary)
Lifegain
Astarion, the Decadent
Deathtouch, lifelink
At the beginning of your end step, choose one —
• Feed — Target opponent loses life equal to the amount of life they lost this turn.
• Friends — You gain life equal to the amount of life you gained this turn.
At the beginning of your end step, choose one —
• Feed — Target opponent loses life equal to the amount of life they lost this turn.
• Friends — You gain life equal to the amount of life you gained this turn.
Legendary Creature - Vampire Elf Rogue
Lifegain
(CTRL to add secondary)
Proliferate
Patrolling Peacemaker
This creature enters with two +1/+1 counters on it.
Whenever an opponent commits a crime, proliferate. (They commit a crime if they target an opponent, anything an opponent controls, and/or cards in an opponent's graveyard. To proliferate, you choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)
Whenever an opponent commits a crime, proliferate. (They commit a crime if they target an opponent, anything an opponent controls, and/or cards in an opponent's graveyard. To proliferate, you choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)
Creature Artifact - Soldier Robot
Proliferate
(CTRL to add secondary)
Protection
Akroma's Will
Choose one. If you control a commander as you cast this spell, you may choose both instead.
• Creatures you control gain flying, vigilance, and double strike until end of turn.
• Creatures you control gain lifelink, indestructible, and protection from each color until end of turn.
• Creatures you control gain flying, vigilance, and double strike until end of turn.
• Creatures you control gain lifelink, indestructible, and protection from each color until end of turn.
Instant
Protection
(CTRL to add secondary)
Ramp
Archaeomancer's Map
When this artifact enters, search your library for up to two basic Plains cards, reveal them, put them into your hand, then shuffle.
Whenever a land an opponent controls enters, if that player controls more lands than you, you may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.
Whenever a land an opponent controls enters, if that player controls more lands than you, you may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.
Artifact
Claim Jumper
Vigilance
When this creature enters, if an opponent controls more lands than you, you may search your library for a Plains card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then if an opponent controls more lands than you, repeat this process once. If you search your library this way, shuffle.
When this creature enters, if an opponent controls more lands than you, you may search your library for a Plains card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then if an opponent controls more lands than you, repeat this process once. If you search your library this way, shuffle.
Creature - Mercenary Rabbit
Ramp
(CTRL to add secondary)
Recursion
Sandbender Scavengers
Whenever you sacrifice another permanent, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
When this creature dies, you may exile it. When you do, return target creature card with mana value less than or equal to this creature's power from your graveyard to the battlefield.
When this creature dies, you may exile it. When you do, return target creature card with mana value less than or equal to this creature's power from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Creature - Human Rogue
Timeline Culler
Haste
You may cast this card from your graveyard using its warp ability.
Warp—, Pay 2 life. (You may cast this card from your hand or graveyard for its warp cost. If you do, exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.)
You may cast this card from your graveyard using its warp ability.
Warp—, Pay 2 life. (You may cast this card from your hand or graveyard for its warp cost. If you do, exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.)
Creature - Warlock Drix
Recursion
(CTRL to add secondary)
Removal
Removal
(CTRL to add secondary)
Sac Outlet
Sac Outlet
(CTRL to add secondary)
Tokens
Daxos the Returned
Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, you get an experience counter.
: Create a white and black Spirit enchantment creature token. It has "This creature's power and toughness are each equal to the number of experience counters you have."
: Create a white and black Spirit enchantment creature token. It has "This creature's power and toughness are each equal to the number of experience counters you have."
Legendary Creature - Soldier Zombie
Exalted Sunborn
Flying, lifelink
If one or more tokens would be created under your control, twice that many of those tokens are created instead.
Warp (You may cast this card from your hand for its warp cost. Exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.)
If one or more tokens would be created under your control, twice that many of those tokens are created instead.
Warp (You may cast this card from your hand for its warp cost. Exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.)
Creature - Wizard Angel
Tokens
(CTRL to add secondary)
Tutor
Case of the Stashed Skeleton
When this Case enters, create a 2/1 black Skeleton creature token and suspect it. (It has menace and can't block.)
To solve — You control no suspected Skeletons. (If unsolved, solve at the beginning of your end step.)
Solved — , Sacrifice this Case: Search your library for a card, put it into your hand, then shuffle. Activate only as a sorcery.
To solve — You control no suspected Skeletons. (If unsolved, solve at the beginning of your end step.)
Solved — , Sacrifice this Case: Search your library for a card, put it into your hand, then shuffle. Activate only as a sorcery.
Enchantment - Case
The Seriema
When The Seriema enters, search your library for a legendary creature card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.
Station (Tap another creature you control: Put charge counters equal to its power on this Spacecraft. Station only as a sorcery. It's an artifact creature at 7+.)
7+ | Flying
Other tapped legendary creatures you control have indestructible.
Station (Tap another creature you control: Put charge counters equal to its power on this Spacecraft. Station only as a sorcery. It's an artifact creature at 7+.)
7+ | Flying
Other tapped legendary creatures you control have indestructible.
Legendary Artifact - Spacecraft
Tutor
(CTRL to add secondary)
Tokens & Extras
Tokens & Extras
(CTRL to add secondary)
Deck Info
Deck stats
CategoriesQtyOdds
Click charts to focus on cards
Deck extras (0)
Description
{"ops":[{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Dark Urge"},{"insert":"\nThis is "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Minthara, Merciless Soul"},{"insert":" built as an evil Dark Urge campaign.\nThe party is "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Minthara, Astarion, Shadowheart, and Lae’zel"},{"insert":". Everyone else is either an accomplice, a victim, or a resource waiting to become something more useful.\nMechanically, the deck runs on four connected systems:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Urge:"},{"insert":" permanents leave the battlefield.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Experience:"},{"insert":" Minthara turns those losses into lasting power.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Conversion:"},{"insert":" that power becomes cards, tokens, mana, recursion, and Station progress.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Army:"},{"insert":" token multipliers and team buffs turn all of it into lethal combat.\nThe goal is not to sacrifice everything indiscriminately.\nThat would be Orin’s style.\nThe Dark Urge should know better.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Urge"},{"insert":"\nMinthara only asks that "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"a permanent we controlled left the battlefield this turn"},{"insert":".\nThat distinction is important. Creatures can die, but Treasures can be sacrificed, lands can crack themselves, artifacts and enchantments can be spent, and warped creatures can exile themselves.\nThe deck is full of ways to make this happen naturally.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Hidden Stockpile"},{"insert":" shares Minthara’s revolt condition and replaces losses with more bodies.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Silent Clearing"},{"insert":" can turn itself into a card while satisfying Minthara.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Terramorphic Expanse"},{"insert":" fixes mana while also making a permanent leave.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Case of the Stashed Skeleton"},{"insert":" supplies its own victim, then eventually sacrifices itself to tutor.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Splinter’s Technique"},{"insert":" can return an attacker to hand through Sneak while finding whatever the next stage of the plan requires.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Timeline Culler"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Exalted Sunborn"},{"insert":" can leave through warp after doing their jobs.\nEven "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Staff of Compleation"},{"insert":" can destroy one of our own permanents if we simply need something gone before the end step.\nMinthara rewards all of it with experience.\nAnd because those counters are on "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"us"},{"insert":", killing Minthara does not erase anything.\nThe party can be wiped out.\nThe Urge remembers.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Experience"},{"insert":"\nOne experience counter means every creature gets another +1/+0.\nThat sounds modest until the deck begins multiplying it.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Lae’zel, Vlaakith’s Champion"},{"insert":"\nLae’zel turns Minthara’s single experience counter into "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"two"},{"insert":".\nExactly what you would expect from Lae’zel: if power can be taken faster, waiting is weakness.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Proliferate"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Blightbelly Rat, Martyr for the Cause, Norn’s Choirmaster, Patrolling Peacemaker, Staff of Compleation,"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Karn’s Bastion"},{"insert":" let us increase the experience already accumulated.\nNorn’s Choirmaster is particularly useful because Minthara entering or attacking can proliferate again. Even recasting the commander after removal can advance the plan.\nPatrolling Peacemaker turns opponents committing crimes into further escalation.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Aetheric Amplifier"},{"insert":"\nThen there is the unreasonable option.\nInstead of adding one experience counter, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Aetheric Amplifier can double the entire pile"},{"insert":".\nFour becomes eight.\nSix becomes twelve.\nSuddenly every supposedly disposable creature has gained another six power.\nAnd because so many cards in the deck actually "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"use"},{"insert":" power as a number, that is much more dangerous than a normal anthem.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Power Is Currency"},{"insert":"\nMinthara’s anthem is not primarily here to make creatures attack harder.\nIt makes them "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"worth more"},{"insert":".\nA creature with eight power can become:\neight cards with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Shadowheart"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"eight bodies with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Carrion"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"eight Zombies with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ghoulcaller Gisa"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"eight Rabbits from "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Jacked Rabbit"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"a larger death payoff from "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Elenda"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"progress on "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Seriema"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Adagia"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"fuel for power-sensitive recursion"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"or a massive "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Dragon Throne of Tarkir"},{"insert":" activation"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This is the deck’s real engine.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Experience becomes power, and power becomes whatever the situation demands."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Party"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Minthara — Control"},{"insert":"\nMinthara rewards violence, but not waste.\nShe only needs one permanent to leave each turn. Once that has happened, throwing away more resources without a payoff accomplishes nothing.\nThat makes the deck surprisingly deliberate.\nUse the correct victim.\nKeep the useful pieces alive.\nTurn every loss into leverage.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Lae’zel — Escalation"},{"insert":"\nLae’zel accelerates the accumulation of experience and works naturally with the counter-heavy half of the deck.\nShe is not subtle.\nShe simply makes the party stronger faster.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Shadowheart — Sacrifice"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar"},{"insert":" converts a creature into cards equal to its power.\nOnce Minthara has accumulated enough experience, something that began as a worthless 1/1 may represent six, eight, or ten cards.\nShar would appreciate the lesson:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"loss is only painful if nothing was gained from it."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Astarion — Excess"},{"insert":"\nAstarion comes in after everyone else has already done the work.\nOnce an opponent has lost a large amount of life, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Feed"},{"insert":" can make them lose that much again.\nThe army hurts them.\nAstarion makes sure it was excessive.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Followers"},{"insert":"\nThe deck needs a steady supply of creatures that nobody will miss.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Reassembling Skeleton"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Nine-Lives Familiar"},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Brood of Cockroaches"},{"insert":" are particularly cooperative.\nThey die.\nThey return.\nThey become useful again.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Hidden Stockpile"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Black Market Connections"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Barad-dûr"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Great Arashin City"},{"insert":", and the various token makers ensure the supply continues even when the original followers stop coming back.\nThe party members are important.\nThe hirelings are renewable.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Turning Power Into an Army"},{"insert":"\nThe deck contains several independent ways to make creature power reproduce itself.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Carrion"},{"insert":" sacrifices one creature and turns its power into a swarm.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ghoulcaller Gisa"},{"insert":" does the same repeatedly with Zombies.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Jacked Rabbit"},{"insert":" creates Rabbits equal to its power every time it attacks, with Ravenous and +1/+1 counters giving it another way to scale beyond Minthara.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Elenda, the Dusk Rose"},{"insert":" grows as creatures die, then converts her final power into Vampires.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Barad-dûr"},{"insert":" turns the deaths already happening into another growing Army.\nNo single interaction is the point.\nThe important thing is redundancy: once Minthara reaches a meaningful experience total, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"almost any creature can be converted into far more material than it should reasonably represent"},{"insert":".\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Army Gets Worse"},{"insert":"\nCreating creatures is only the beginning.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Exalted Sunborn"},{"insert":"\nIf we would make tokens, make twice as many.\nSimple.\nHorrible.\nEffective.\nBecause Sunborn can also be warped, it can appear only for the explosive turn, double the army, then conveniently leave the battlefield and help satisfy Minthara before being cast normally later.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Cathars’ Crusade"},{"insert":"\nEvery creature entering permanently increases the entire board.\nThat creates the deck’s strongest feedback loop:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"power → tokens → +1/+1 counters → more power → larger future token effects."},{"insert":"\nAnd because those are actual counters, proliferate continues pushing them higher.\nCathars’ Crusade does not merely reward an army.\nIt makes the "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"next"},{"insert":" army larger.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Call for Unity"},{"insert":"\nCall for Unity follows almost the same condition Minthara does.\nA permanent leaves:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Minthara gains experience."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Call for Unity gains a unity counter."},{"insert":"\nMinthara supplies power while Call for Unity also supplies toughness, helping turn the army from a collection of enormous glass cannons into something capable of surviving combat.\nThe same act of violence advances both plans.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Barrensteppe Siege"},{"insert":"\nThe Siege lets the campaign choose its mood.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Abzan"},{"insert":" steadily adds +1/+1 counters across the team.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Mardu"},{"insert":" makes our planned deaths force everyone else to sacrifice creatures too.\nEither we become stronger from the casualties or everyone shares them.\nBoth seem fair.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Station — Power Becomes Infrastructure"},{"insert":"\nThe deck even uses Minthara’s artificial power outside combat.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Seriema"},{"insert":"\nStation asks creatures to contribute their power.\nMinthara makes that trivial.\nOnce active, The Seriema becomes both a legendary-creature tutor and protection for the party, making tapped legendary creatures indestructible.\nMinthara, Lae’zel, Shadowheart, Astarion, Gisa, Elenda, Lotho and the other legends suddenly become much harder to remove once they have committed themselves.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Adagia, Windswept Bastion"},{"insert":"\nAdagia uses the same principle.\nMinthara makes Station 12 much easier than it looks, and once active Adagia can copy one of the deck’s powerful artifacts or enchantments.\nThat can mean another counter engine, another value piece, or another way to make an already unreasonable board even less reasonable.\nA land quietly becoming an engine fits the deck very well: nothing is as harmless as it first appears.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Tutors — Choose the Right Tool"},{"insert":"\nThe deck does not tutor for one scripted combo.\nIt tutors according to the current problem.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Seriema"},{"insert":" finds legendary creatures.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Case of the Stashed Skeleton"},{"insert":" eventually sacrifices itself to find anything.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Splinter’s Technique"},{"insert":" offers broader access while potentially making a permanent leave through Sneak.\nAnd "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Search for Glory"},{"insert":" is especially flexible.\nIt can find key legendary party members and engines, but it can also find "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Dragon Throne of Tarkir"},{"insert":", because the Throne itself is legendary.\nSo Search for Glory can mean:\nNeed faster experience?\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Lae’zel."},{"insert":"\nNeed cards?\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Shadowheart."},{"insert":"\nNeed bodies?\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ghoulcaller Gisa."},{"insert":"\nNeed the game to end?\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Dragon Throne of Tarkir."},{"insert":"\nThe Dark Urge does not always need another accomplice.\nSometimes a weapon is better.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Interaction"},{"insert":"\nBeing murderous does not mean letting opponents do whatever they want.\nThe deck carries seven real answers:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Swords to Plowshares"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Fatal Push"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Anguished Unmaking"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Generous Gift"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Mortify"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ossification"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Toxic Deluge"},{"insert":"\nThe first six remove the specific permanent standing between us and the next stage of the plan.\nToxic Deluge is for when precision is no longer useful.\nThe experience counters survive the massacre.\nRebuilding is somebody else’s problem.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Protection"},{"insert":"\nMost creatures are expendable.\nSome are currently too useful to die.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Giver of Runes"},{"insert":" protects the necessary party member.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Duty Beyond Death"},{"insert":" protects the board while still demanding a sacrifice.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Inkshield"},{"insert":" turns an opponent’s attempted lethal attack into a new flying army—which Minthara immediately makes enormous.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Akroma’s Will"},{"insert":" can save the battlefield or transform it into the final attack.\nKnowing what to sacrifice matters.\nKnowing what "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"not"},{"insert":" to sacrifice matters more.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Mana and Resources"},{"insert":"\nThe deck’s curve is concentrated around two and three mana, but the engines often want extra mana available for multiple actions in the same turn.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Orzhov Signet, Archaeomancer’s Map, Knight of the White Orchid, Claim Jumper,"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Monologue Tax"},{"insert":" provide conventional development.\nThe more thematic engines do double duty:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ashnod’s Altar"},{"insert":" turns followers into mana.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Lotho"},{"insert":" turns everyone else’s ambition into Treasure.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Kingpin, Wilson Fisk"},{"insert":" rewards sacrifice with still more Treasure.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Black Market Connections"},{"insert":" can provide cards, mana, or another body depending on what the campaign currently lacks.\nThe goal is not simply to ramp into one enormous spell.\nIt is to have enough resources to "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"develop, sacrifice, tutor, and still threaten interaction in the same turn"},{"insert":".\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Early Game — Something Is Wrong"},{"insert":"\nBuild mana.\nDeploy something expendable.\nCast Minthara when there is a realistic way to trigger her before the end step.\nThe first few experience counters are unimpressive.\nGood.\nNobody should understand exactly what is happening yet.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Midgame — Remember Who You Are"},{"insert":"\nAt four, five, or six experience, the printed statistics on the creatures begin losing relevance.\nSmall bodies become legitimate attackers.\nShadowheart turns them into large draws.\nToken makers begin producing entire armies.\nCathars’ Crusade and Call for Unity convert those armies into permanent growth.\nLae’zel, proliferate, and Aetheric Amplifier keep pushing the experience total upward.\nThe harmless collection of disposable followers has become a cult.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Late Game — Take Control"},{"insert":"\nEventually the question is no longer whether the deck has enough power.\nIt is "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"what form that power should take"},{"insert":".\nMore creatures?\nMore cards?\nA copied engine?\nA huge Station activation?\nOr simply lethal combat?\nThat is where the finishers take over.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Dragon Throne of Tarkir"},{"insert":"\nDragon Throne is the purest endpoint of the deck’s entire strategy.\nMinthara and the counter engines spend the game making one creature absurdly powerful.\nDragon Throne takes that number and gives "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"every other creature +X/+X and trample"},{"insert":".\nThe power accumulated by one member of the party becomes the power of the entire army.\nAnd because "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Search for Glory can find the Throne"},{"insert":", it is not merely a one-of finisher we hope to draw.\nIt is part of the tutor package.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Akroma’s Will"},{"insert":"\nSometimes elaborate plans are unnecessary.\nFlying.\nDouble strike.\nProtection.\nAn already enormous Minthara army usually does not require further explanation.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Astarion"},{"insert":"\nAnd if someone still survives?\nFeed.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"In Bhaal’s Name"},{"insert":"\nThe deck begins with small losses that barely seem significant.\nThen the experience remains.\nThe counters multiply.\nThe followers become stronger.\nThe dead become replacements.\nThe replacements become an army.\nAnd eventually the Dark Urge is no longer improvising their way through another adventure.\nThey have remembered what they are good at.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Minthara commands."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" Lae’zel escalates."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" Shadowheart sacrifices."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" Astarion indulges."},{"insert":"\nThe Dark Urge chooses what happens next.\nUsually, something leaves the battlefield.\n\n"}]}