[EDH] Nath of the Gilt-Leaf

[Davran]

I've been brewing this deck for a while now, and it's finally at a point where I'm ready for some outside advice. I'm hoping to sleeve this up for some side tables at PAX East next week, so I'd like the list to be somewhat "competitive" since the expected meta is pretty wide open.

General:
Nath of the Gilt-leaf

Creatures:
Deathrite Shaman
Bloodghast
Nether Traitor
Sakura-tribe Elder
Scavenging Ooze
Eternal Witness
Fleshbag Marauder
Glissa, the Traitor
Viridian Shaman
Disciple of Bolas
Graveborn Muse
Oracle of Mul Daya
Reaper of the Wilds
Solemn Simulacrum
Acidic Slime
Puppeteer Clique
Sadistic Hypnotist
Bane of Progress
Massacre Wurm
Soul of the Harvest
Avenger of Zendikar
Hornet Queen
Woodfall Primus

Instants:
Vampiric Tutor
Abrupt Decay
Bile Blight
Deglamer
Beast Within
Chord of Calling
Hero's Downfall
Krosan Grip

Sorcery:
Green Sun's Zenith
Demonic Tutor
Profane Command
Regrowth
Beseech the Queen
Cultivate
Kodama's Reach
Maelstrom Pulse
Read the Bones
Damnation
Harmonize
Skyshroud Claim
Beacon of Unrest
Increasing Ambition
Rise of the Dark Realms

Artifacts:
Sensei's Divining Top
Skullclamp
Sol Ring
Ashnod's Altar
Coalition Relic
Mimic Vat
Oblivion Stone
Birthing Pod

Enchantments:
Phyrexian Reclamation
Sylvan Library
Bow of Nylea
Phyrexian Arena
Grave Pact
Black Market
Doubling Season

Lands:
Command Tower
Dryad Arbor
11 Forest
Gilt-leaf Palace
Homeward Path
Khalni Garden
Llanowar Wastes
Overgrown Tomb
Shizo, Death's Storehouse
Strip Mine
11 Swamp
Tainted Wood
Twilight Mire
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Verdant Catacombs
Wasteland
Woodland Cemetery
Yavimaya Hollow

The obvious "combo" in the deck is Nath of the Gilt-leaf + Sadistic Hypnotist, which results in opponents with no cards in hand. Adding in Reaper of the Wilds gives us some powerful(?) card selection. Adding Black Market or Ashnod's Altar gives a whole pile of mana. Grave Pact is a one-sided wrath...and so on.

A few cards I'm on the fence about:
Garruk Relentless
Bitterblossom
Crucible of Worlds
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
Kokusho, the Evening Star

Notable Exclusions:
Pernicious Deed: Don't own one.
Gaze of Granite: See Pernicious Deed.

[TestMonkey]

Contamination seems like it would be a good inclusion. Locks out non-black decks and synergies well with your general. If you do add it though be sure to throw in a Bird of Paradise or some mana rocks to compensate for being locked out of green.

[Davran]

Contamination seems like it would be a good inclusion. Locks out non-black decks and synergies well with your general. If you do add it though be sure to throw in a Bird of Paradise or some mana rocks to compensate for being locked out of green.

I think Contamination is the kind of card that crosses the boundary between being a mostly friendly guy and being "that guy". I'm not sure that's where I want to be, as being "that guy" is the perfect recipe for being the first one knocked out, and I really don't think this particular deck has strong enough defenses to weather being the archenemy for very long.

To give a little more insight into the meta - last year at this event I played in a pod that consisted of what I would consider to be the average Sigarda, Host of Herons list, a Mayael the Anima list that leveraged things like Sunseed Nurturer while the rest of us were slinging "real" cards, and some other deck that I can't recall. I'm sure there were sharks out there, but by and large I wouldn't call the meta "competitive" by any stretch. I'm hoping that this deck will be strong enough to weed through the chaff without being too strong and winding up as public enemy #1...if that makes any sense.

[Bed Decks Palyer]

Casting Necromancy targetting thread, resolved!

Not that I'll bring some insight, but I need to tell that I tinker with any idea for Nath, the EDH for a day or two simply because of the beautiful lands. The RTR shockland is amazing, but the Woodland Cemetery is simply brilliant.
So much sadness of an autumnal decay, such an October Rust.