Oversoul
The Tentacled One
Helcomb County Municipal Lake Dredge Appraisal version 3.1 (current decklist as of December, 2014)
Commander
1x Karador, Ghost Chieftain
Creatures
1x Abyssal Gatekeeper
1x Angel of Despair
1x Apprentice Necromancer
1x Ashen Rider
1x Avacyn's Pilgrim
1x Birds of Paradise
1x Boneyard Wurm
1x Carrion Feeder
1x Dark Confidant
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1x Eternal Witness
1x Fauna Shaman
1x Fleshbag Marauder
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Ghoultree
1x Golgari Brownscale
1x Golgari Grave-Troll
1x Golgari Thug
1x Greater Mossdog
1x Iona, Shield of Emeria
1x Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
1x Karmic Guide
1x Kessig Cagebreakers
1x Knight of the Reliquary
1x Llanowar Elves
1x Lord of Extinction
1x Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1x Nighthowler
1x Phyrexian Delver
1x Qasali Pridemage
1x Reveillark
1x Reya Dawnbringer
1x Saffi Eriksdotter
1x Shambling Shell
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
1x Shriekmaw
1x Siege Rhino
1x Spirit of the Hearth
1x Splinterfright
1x Spore Frog
1x Stinkweed Imp
1x Sun Titan
1x Triskelion
1x Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter
1x Weathered Wayfarer
1x Wurmcoil Engine
Instants
1x Darkblast
1x Entomb
1x Gnaw to the Bone
1x Krosan Reclamation
1x Pull from Eternity
Sorceries
1x Buried Alive
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Dread Return
1x Life from the Loam
1x Regrowth
1x Spider Spawning
1x Unburial Rites
Enchantments
1x Survival of the Fittest
1x Sylvan Library
Artifacts
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Sol Ring
Lands
1x Barren Moor
1x Bayou
1x Bazaar of Baghdad
1x Command Tower
1x Dakmor Salvage
1x Dark Depths
1x Dryad Arbor
1x Flagstones of Trokair
2x Forest
1x Gaea's Cradle
1x Golgari Rot Farm
1x Mana Confluence
1x Marsh Flats
1x Maze of Ith
1x Miren, the Moaning Well
1x Mutavault
1x Orzhov Basilica
2x Plains
1x Sandsteppe Citadel
1x Savannah
1x Scrubland
1x Secluded Steppe
1x Selesnya Sanctuary
1x Strip Mine
2x Swamp
1x Thespian's Stage
1x Tranquil Thicket
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Verdant Catacombs
1x Vesuva
1x Volrath's Stronghold
1x Wasteland
1x Windswept Heath
So I've finally decided that I'm doing this. It's a thing that is going to happen. I am going to put together my own Commander deck, with real cards, and it is going to be a dredge deck. I thought about making it a storm deck (because storm is the best), but no, I'm going with dredge. I don't know when I'll be able to finish this or when I'll actually get a chance to play the thing against real people (there might be an opportunity coming up in a month or so) but whatever—it's happening eventually.
However, I need help with this, because I'm really bad at building highlander decks. I'm convinced that it'll work, but I'm fuzzy on the details. I plan to do some testing, but I have to have some basic structure fleshed out before I can tinker with it.
In Vintage, dredge-based decks are fascinating: it's like they aren't even playing Magic anymore, but some other game. These decks rely on Bazaar of Baghdad to initiate a chain of discards and cards thrown from the library into the graveyard, then use their growing graveyard to produce Ichorids and a hoard of zombie tokens through Bridge from Below. They even include Serum Powder to ensure that they can get an opening hand with Bazaar of Baghdad. They're unlike any other decks. Of course, I can't actually do that in Commander, as I don't have access to that level of redundancy. I only get to use one Bazaar of Baghdad, one Ichorid, one Bridge from Below, one Golgari Grave-Troll, etc. And my deck size is 99 cards instead of just 60. But there have been dredge-based decks outside of Vintage too, and there are a lot of other tricks I can use. It's making those concepts work together in a cohesive deck that's the tricky part. So I'm looking for suggestions.
No, I don't know what commander to use yet, but I can narrow it down. The important dredge cards are either black or green, so I need those two colors, and therefore I need a commander that is both black and green. I could go with a third color as well, but not a fourth because there are zero four-color legendary creatures in the game, and five would be a bit silly (also, I associate five-color Commander decks with Hermid Druid shenanigans and I, for one, am swinging for the fences against anyone that brings a five-color Commander deck to the table). So, it's either just black and green or it's black, green, and a third color. That leaves me with the following options...
Golgari Commanders
Glissa, the Traitor: Affordable, but how would I make use of that ability?
Iname as One: Twelve mana? Not going to happen.
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord: Mild synergy with dredge, but not great.
Nath of the Gilt-Leaf: Lackluster for the mana cost, but not terrible.
Sapling of Colfenor: Doesn't seem like it'd be effective.
Savra, Queen of the Golgari: I'd have to work in some way to use those abilities.
Sisters of Stone Death: Eight mana and doesn't seem suited to this.
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave: Well, at least it's cheap.
Varolz, the Scar-Striped: Wrong mechanic, but there is mild synergy.
Vhati il-Dal: Practically useless for this concept, despite how cool Vhati is.
Jund Commanders
Adun Oakenshield: Ability costs too much, but could be useful.
Bartel Runeaxe: Nope.
Darigaaz, the Igniter: No synergy and too expensive.
Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund: Seven mana is too much and this isn't a dragon deck anyway.
Kresh, the Bloodbraided: Some synergy, but five mana is pushing it.
Prossh, Skyraider of Kher: This isn't that kind of deck.
Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper: Synergizes, but five mana is pushing it.
Shattergang Brothers: I don't really see the appeal.
Vaevictis Asmadi: No, no, no.
Xira Arien: Ability costs too much and is a bit of a corner case, but at least she's cheap.
Necra Commanders
Doran, the Siege Tower: I don't know.
Ghave, Guru of Spores: Too little synergy with dredge cards.
Karador, Ghost Chieftan: This synergizes quite well, assuming I have enough creatures in the deck.
Teneb, the Harvester: Six mana is really pushing it, and this doesn't seem like the right deck for that.
Ana Commanders
Damia, Sage of Stone: Seven mana is huge in this kind of deck, but the ability is great.
The Mimeoplasm: Five mana, but could be game-breaking with the right creatures to fuel it.
Vorosh, the Hunter: Six mana is really pushing it, and this doesn't seem like the right deck for that.
I think that's it. So I need to figure out my color scheme. One I know whether I'll have a third color and what that third color is, I can get a better idea for what my card choices will be. Karador and the Mimeoplasm seem like the two commanders with the most to contribute here, but it's actually red that I'd lean toward as a third color for stuff like Faithless Looting, Gamble, Wheel of Fortune, etc. Alternatively, I could try to go two-color, but I'm not sure if two colors are enough here...
Commander
1x Karador, Ghost Chieftain
Creatures
1x Abyssal Gatekeeper
1x Angel of Despair
1x Apprentice Necromancer
1x Ashen Rider
1x Avacyn's Pilgrim
1x Birds of Paradise
1x Boneyard Wurm
1x Carrion Feeder
1x Dark Confidant
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1x Eternal Witness
1x Fauna Shaman
1x Fleshbag Marauder
1x Gaddock Teeg
1x Ghoultree
1x Golgari Brownscale
1x Golgari Grave-Troll
1x Golgari Thug
1x Greater Mossdog
1x Iona, Shield of Emeria
1x Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
1x Karmic Guide
1x Kessig Cagebreakers
1x Knight of the Reliquary
1x Llanowar Elves
1x Lord of Extinction
1x Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1x Nighthowler
1x Phyrexian Delver
1x Qasali Pridemage
1x Reveillark
1x Reya Dawnbringer
1x Saffi Eriksdotter
1x Shambling Shell
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
1x Shriekmaw
1x Siege Rhino
1x Spirit of the Hearth
1x Splinterfright
1x Spore Frog
1x Stinkweed Imp
1x Sun Titan
1x Triskelion
1x Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter
1x Weathered Wayfarer
1x Wurmcoil Engine
Instants
1x Darkblast
1x Entomb
1x Gnaw to the Bone
1x Krosan Reclamation
1x Pull from Eternity
Sorceries
1x Buried Alive
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Dread Return
1x Life from the Loam
1x Regrowth
1x Spider Spawning
1x Unburial Rites
Enchantments
1x Survival of the Fittest
1x Sylvan Library
Artifacts
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Sol Ring
Lands
1x Barren Moor
1x Bayou
1x Bazaar of Baghdad
1x Command Tower
1x Dakmor Salvage
1x Dark Depths
1x Dryad Arbor
1x Flagstones of Trokair
2x Forest
1x Gaea's Cradle
1x Golgari Rot Farm
1x Mana Confluence
1x Marsh Flats
1x Maze of Ith
1x Miren, the Moaning Well
1x Mutavault
1x Orzhov Basilica
2x Plains
1x Sandsteppe Citadel
1x Savannah
1x Scrubland
1x Secluded Steppe
1x Selesnya Sanctuary
1x Strip Mine
2x Swamp
1x Thespian's Stage
1x Tranquil Thicket
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Verdant Catacombs
1x Vesuva
1x Volrath's Stronghold
1x Wasteland
1x Windswept Heath
So I've finally decided that I'm doing this. It's a thing that is going to happen. I am going to put together my own Commander deck, with real cards, and it is going to be a dredge deck. I thought about making it a storm deck (because storm is the best), but no, I'm going with dredge. I don't know when I'll be able to finish this or when I'll actually get a chance to play the thing against real people (there might be an opportunity coming up in a month or so) but whatever—it's happening eventually.
However, I need help with this, because I'm really bad at building highlander decks. I'm convinced that it'll work, but I'm fuzzy on the details. I plan to do some testing, but I have to have some basic structure fleshed out before I can tinker with it.
In Vintage, dredge-based decks are fascinating: it's like they aren't even playing Magic anymore, but some other game. These decks rely on Bazaar of Baghdad to initiate a chain of discards and cards thrown from the library into the graveyard, then use their growing graveyard to produce Ichorids and a hoard of zombie tokens through Bridge from Below. They even include Serum Powder to ensure that they can get an opening hand with Bazaar of Baghdad. They're unlike any other decks. Of course, I can't actually do that in Commander, as I don't have access to that level of redundancy. I only get to use one Bazaar of Baghdad, one Ichorid, one Bridge from Below, one Golgari Grave-Troll, etc. And my deck size is 99 cards instead of just 60. But there have been dredge-based decks outside of Vintage too, and there are a lot of other tricks I can use. It's making those concepts work together in a cohesive deck that's the tricky part. So I'm looking for suggestions.
No, I don't know what commander to use yet, but I can narrow it down. The important dredge cards are either black or green, so I need those two colors, and therefore I need a commander that is both black and green. I could go with a third color as well, but not a fourth because there are zero four-color legendary creatures in the game, and five would be a bit silly (also, I associate five-color Commander decks with Hermid Druid shenanigans and I, for one, am swinging for the fences against anyone that brings a five-color Commander deck to the table). So, it's either just black and green or it's black, green, and a third color. That leaves me with the following options...
Golgari Commanders
Glissa, the Traitor: Affordable, but how would I make use of that ability?
Iname as One: Twelve mana? Not going to happen.
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord: Mild synergy with dredge, but not great.
Nath of the Gilt-Leaf: Lackluster for the mana cost, but not terrible.
Sapling of Colfenor: Doesn't seem like it'd be effective.
Savra, Queen of the Golgari: I'd have to work in some way to use those abilities.
Sisters of Stone Death: Eight mana and doesn't seem suited to this.
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave: Well, at least it's cheap.
Varolz, the Scar-Striped: Wrong mechanic, but there is mild synergy.
Vhati il-Dal: Practically useless for this concept, despite how cool Vhati is.
Jund Commanders
Adun Oakenshield: Ability costs too much, but could be useful.
Bartel Runeaxe: Nope.
Darigaaz, the Igniter: No synergy and too expensive.
Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund: Seven mana is too much and this isn't a dragon deck anyway.
Kresh, the Bloodbraided: Some synergy, but five mana is pushing it.
Prossh, Skyraider of Kher: This isn't that kind of deck.
Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper: Synergizes, but five mana is pushing it.
Shattergang Brothers: I don't really see the appeal.
Vaevictis Asmadi: No, no, no.
Xira Arien: Ability costs too much and is a bit of a corner case, but at least she's cheap.
Necra Commanders
Doran, the Siege Tower: I don't know.
Ghave, Guru of Spores: Too little synergy with dredge cards.
Karador, Ghost Chieftan: This synergizes quite well, assuming I have enough creatures in the deck.
Teneb, the Harvester: Six mana is really pushing it, and this doesn't seem like the right deck for that.
Ana Commanders
Damia, Sage of Stone: Seven mana is huge in this kind of deck, but the ability is great.
The Mimeoplasm: Five mana, but could be game-breaking with the right creatures to fuel it.
Vorosh, the Hunter: Six mana is really pushing it, and this doesn't seem like the right deck for that.
I think that's it. So I need to figure out my color scheme. One I know whether I'll have a third color and what that third color is, I can get a better idea for what my card choices will be. Karador and the Mimeoplasm seem like the two commanders with the most to contribute here, but it's actually red that I'd lean toward as a third color for stuff like Faithless Looting, Gamble, Wheel of Fortune, etc. Alternatively, I could try to go two-color, but I'm not sure if two colors are enough here...
