[EDH] Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed (formerly Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon)

I'm a fan of both Wayfarer's Bauble and Solemn Simulacrum as they are both ways for mono black to accelerate lands into play. Also, Everflowing Chalice might be better than Worn Powerstone since it can scale so well with the absurd amounts of mana that this deck can generate.

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Originally Posted by LegacyStudent

I'm a fan of both Wayfarer's Bauble and Solemn Simulacrum as they are both ways for mono black to accelerate lands into play.

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I've ran both in the past and found them lacking. They don't accelerate you unless you're hitting your land drops every turn. If you're not, it's just a land drop that costs :3: or :4:.

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Originally Posted by LegacyStudent

Also, Everflowing Chalice might be better than Worn Powerstone since it can scale so well with the absurd amounts of mana that this deck can generate.

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Good point. I'm not sure how much I'd actually cast Everflowing Chalice for, but it does seem like it might be better than Worn Powerstone.

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Originally Posted by Kuma

I've ran both in the past and found them lacking. They don't accelerate you unless you're hitting your land drops every turn.

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Right. Isn't the goal to be making land drops every turn for at least the first 6 turns or so? I suppose it depends on the other decks in your playgroup. I always found that I never had much action in the early phase of the game with mono-B anyway, other than holding removal for early voltron kills all I did was ensure that I made a land drop every turn. Once you hit a critical amount of mana it becomes very difficult for other decks to stop you from locking everyone out of the game.

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers...2249&type=card

RIP

October 1, 2010 - March 19, 2013

Ah, Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon I had some good times with you. We poisoned a lot of players together and won many a game. But lately I'd been using you as a kill condition less and less. The quickest I could one-shot someone with you was turn six, and that's just too slow. In the few games I've played since I gave you up, Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed has proven to be more useful, whether it's recurring a key tutor or getting back something like Infernal Darkness. He's my general now, and I hope your French, foil self and I have lots of fun killing in one shot in my The Mimeoplasm deck. See you then, buddy.

In case it wasn't clear, the deck isn't going away. I've just decided to switch the general to Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed.

- Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
- Nightmare Lash
- Lashwrithe

+ Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
+ Necropotence
+ Lethal Vapors

Nightmare Lash and Lashwrithe aren't worth running without Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon. Like I said before, I was an idiot for not running Necropotence. The card is just too powerful. I'm not 100% on Lethal Vapors, as the early returns haven't been promising. Still, I have to try a card that keeps my opponents from playing creatures even if it can be destroyed at will.

Updated first post.

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Originally Posted by Kuma

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers...2249&type=card

RIP

October 1, 2010 - March 19, 2103

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I'll be sure to set my watch. There's nothing worse than watching a loved one die. Especially if it takes 90 years.

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Originally Posted by TsumiBand

I'll be sure to set my watch. There's nothing worse than watching a loved one die. Especially if it takes 90 years.

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:laugh:

Wow, what a typo.

The new general is the most evil thing I have ever seen in this format...

Even Empress Galina does not seem as evil to me :D

Dragon's Maze Changes:

It's kind of a misnomer because there are only eleven new cards in Dragon's Maze that are legal in the deck and they're all terrible.

- Lethal Vapors
- Mind's Eye
- Life's Finale
- No Mercy
- Phyrexian Arena

+ Arena of the Ancients
+ Everflowing Chalice
+ Magus of the Coffers
+ Sculpting Steel
+ Staff of Domination

Lethal Vapors was a little too slow to be effective. Someone always skipped their turn, and often it was a player on their way out of the game who did it to help the others. Mind's Eye was too mana intensive and slow. Phyrexian Arena didn't do enough especially in a deck with Necropotence and this many tutors. No Mercy once again proved its uselessness. I wish I could quit you! Life's Finale was the worst board sweeper in the deck. I don't think there will be a problem at seven sweepers instead of eight.

Arena of the Ancients should prove excellent now that I don't have to worry about untapping my Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon. Everflowing Chalice seems like a perfect addition with all the mana the deck can generate. Sculpting Steel is too strong not to run when everyone is playing Mana Crypt, Sol Ring, and Gilded Lotus. I can't believe I wasn't running it. Now that Staff of Domination is unbanned it's an easy choice for addition. This makes Magus of the Coffers worth running again as it makes infinite black mana with Staff of Domination which then allows you to draw your deck with the staff.

Cards on the bubble:

Mimic Vat
Silent Arbiter
Promise of Power

Updated first post.

I'd rather run Arena than Arbiter because it's much better in the early game. Arbiter dies almost as an afterthought of the game being played. Arena is a bit more resilient and a very powerful turn 3 play.

EDIT: Why are you not running Ancient Tomb?

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Originally Posted by Amon Amarth

I'd rather run Arena than Arbiter because it's much better in the early game. Arbiter dies almost as an afterthought of the game being played. Arena is a bit more resilient and a very powerful turn 3 play.

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The problem with Phyrexian Arena is that it takes a long time to provide significant advantage. For every game where it drew me like seven cards, there are two where it drew me three or less. The way I've been playing the deck recently involves tutoring for Necropotence and drawing a ton of cards, making Phyrexian Arena unnecessary. With Necropotence in the deck, Phyrexian Arena loses a lot of its usefulness. It was a very difficult cut, so there's a good chance it finds its way back in. I'll also grant you that Silent Arbiter is probably the worst card still in the deck, but in the absence of a board sweeper, it's good at buying time which is what this deck needs right now. My playgroup is pretty fast and this deck takes a long time to set up.

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Originally Posted by Amon Amarth

EDIT: Why are you not running Ancient Tomb?

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Since I almost always tutor for Cabal Coffers right away, Ancient Tomb doesn't offer enough advantages over a Snow-Covered Swamp. With Cabal Coffers out, all Snow-Covered Swamps effectively tap for two black mana: one for themselves and they make Cabal Coffers tap for an additional mana. I don't think Ancient Tomb's early mana advantages make up for the damage and the colorless mana it produces, especially when two of my combos rely on Cabal Coffers/Magus of the Coffers tapping for six and seven mana respectively. Yes, I run Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, but I'd rather not rely on that card. It sucks when you have a Gauntlet of Power or someone steals/copies your Nirkana Revenant or Crypt Ghast and they can tap their basic lands for :2:.

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Originally Posted by Kuma

The problem with Phyrexian Arena is that it takes a long time to provide significant advantage. For every game where it drew me like seven cards, there are two where it drew me three or less. The way I've been playing the deck recently involves tutoring for Necropotence and drawing a ton of cards, making Phyrexian Arena unnecessary. With Necropotence in the deck, Phyrexian Arena loses a lot of its usefulness. It was a very difficult cut, so there's a good chance it finds its way back in. I'll also grant you that Silent Arbiter is probably the worst card still in the deck, but in the absence of a board sweeper, it's good at buying time which is what this deck needs right now. My playgroup is pretty fast and this deck takes a long time to set up.

Since I almost always tutor for Cabal Coffers right away, Ancient Tomb doesn't offer enough advantages over a Snow-Covered Swamp. With Cabal Coffers out, all Snow-Covered Swamps effectively tap for two black mana: one for themselves and they make Cabal Coffers tap for an additional mana. I don't think Ancient Tomb's early mana advantages make up for the damage and the colorless mana it produces, especially when two of my combos rely on Cabal Coffers/Magus of the Coffers tapping for six and five mana respectively. Yes, I run Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, but I'd rather not rely on that card. It sucks when you have a Gauntlet of Power or someone steals/copies your Nirkana Revenant or Crypt Ghast and they can tap their basic lands for :2:.

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The problem there is that when you tutor there really aren't a lot of different cards you want to get, typically. Early game is Necro, late game you want Revelation. Just because Necro does everything doesn't mean you don't need additional sources of card advantage and Arena is the next best thing.

That scenario sounds pretty corner case-y. Regardless, Ancient Tomb is a lot better than Petrified Field, in my experience.

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Originally Posted by Amon Amarth

The problem there is that when you tutor there really aren't a lot of different cards you want to get, typically. Early game is Necro, late game you want Revelation. Just because Necro does everything doesn't mean you don't need additional sources of card advantage and Arena is the next best thing.

That scenario sounds pretty corner case-y. Regardless, Ancient Tomb is a lot better than Petrified Field, in my experience.

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I feel if he wanted another draw spell Necrologia would be the next best.

I completely forgot about that card; Necrologia is pretty sweet. I prefer Arena's permanence to the one shot effect of Necrologia but that's mostly a difference in philosophy/playstyle, etc.

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Originally Posted by Amon Amarth

That scenario sounds pretty corner case-y. Regardless, Ancient Tomb is a lot better than Petrified Field, in my experience.

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I've been going back and forth on replacing Petrified Field with a Snow-Covered Swamp. Since my buddy is building Azusa, Lost but Seeking, I probably have to keep Petrified Field for now. In many cases, Ancient Tomb is better than Petrified Field, but I think Snow-Covered Swamp is better still. If people rarely destroy your Cabal Coffers, I wouldn't run Petrified Field since Crucible of Worlds and Yawgmoth's Will should be plenty of ways to get it back.

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Originally Posted by Jivanmukta

I feel if he wanted another draw spell Necrologia would be the next best.

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Good point. If I'm running Necropotence, there isn't much reason not to run Necrologia. I'll have to work it back in.

When casting Necologia or using Necropotence do you just draw until you hit a combo and discard (exile with Necro out) the rest? I feel like Reliquary Tower or something similar is a necessity so you don't discard/exile things you may need if the combo plan doesn't work out.

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Originally Posted by xbento

When casting Necologia or using Necropotence do you just draw until you hit a combo and discard (exile with Necro out) the rest? I feel like Reliquary Tower or something similar is a necessity so you don't discard/exile things you may need if the combo plan doesn't work out.

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I can't tell if you understand how Necrologia and Necropotence work. You don't get to pay life, see what you get, and decide whether of not to pay more life before you have to discard.

I don't use Necropotence to draw a couple of cards at a time to keep up. I use it to win on the turn after I activate it. I usually draw 15-25 cards with Necrologia or Necropotence. That almost always gives me a combo or the means to get it on my next turn. I've usually been able to keep seven cards that will let me attempt to win the game making Reliquary Tower unnecessary. There's a lot of garbage when you draw that many cards and I don't want to run a non-Snow-Covered Swamp land to let me keep redundant cards in my hand. When you pay that much life, you're not long for the game if your combo plan backfires, making those extra cards pointless because you won't have time to play them.

- Portcullis
- Petrified Field

+ Necrologia
+ Snow-Covered Swamp

Portcullis rarely did what it was supposed to. I usually cast it on turn four and that was usually too late to stop the onslaught of creatures. It let the Maelstrom Wanderer player recast his general over and over, and it let people get double triggers out of Terastodon, Woodfall Primus, Sylvan Primordial, etc. Once in a while it worked like magic, but it was crap most of the time. The Azusa, Lost But Seeking deck only lasted one week, so I don't think I need Petrified Field anymore. I always tutored for Crucible of Worlds or Yawgmoth's Will if I needed Cabal Coffers out of my graveyard anyway.

I want to fit Phyrexian Arena back in the deck, but I don't know what to cut. I thought about Mimic Vat, but that card has worked wonders recently. There's a good chance it will be Silent Arbiter, but I'm getting low on cards that keep damage off me. I'm starting to wonder if it's time to lose Helm of Obedience and Leyline of the Void as I rarely kill anyone with that combo anymore and I just added another combo in Magus of the Coffers/Staff of Domination.

Updated first post.

You should tell me how well the increased Swamp count is working out for you. I'm always on the cusp of axing another utility land for one or maybe even two more.

I don't think I'd cut the Helm/Line combo. I don't use it much either but it can make games pretty easy if you naturally draw into an early Leyline you can start picking off players, not to mention how powerful it is as a piece GY hate. The combo is more difficult to disrupt than coffers/staff but it also doesn't kill everyone instantly, either. I could see cutting the Helm since it's basically worthless outside the combo but I love me some Black Leyline action.

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Originally Posted by Amon Amarth

You should tell me how well the increased Swamp count is working out for you. I'm always on the cusp of axing another utility land for one or maybe even two more.

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I've never regretted cutting a utility land for a Snow-Covered Swamp. Looking through the thread, I've never cut a Snow-Covered Swamp for anything. It's so crucial to have lots of Snow-Covered Swamps to power up Cabal Coffers, Caged Sun, etc. and to use your Cabal Coffers/Rings of Brighthearth/Deserted Temple and Magus of the Coffers/Staff of Domination combos. Right now, the only land I'm running that isn't a Snow-Covered Swamp, can't become one, or isn't a combo piece is Buried Ruin, which should give you an idea of how important Snow-Covered Swamps are to the deck.

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Originally Posted by Amon Amarth

I don't think I'd cut the Helm/Line combo. I don't use it much either but it can make games pretty easy if you naturally draw into an early Leyline you can start picking off players, not to mention how powerful it is as a piece GY hate. The combo is more difficult to disrupt than coffers/staff but it also doesn't kill everyone instantly, either. I could see cutting the Helm since it's basically worthless outside the combo but I love me some Black Leyline action.

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The problem with pre-gaming a Leyline of the Void is that as soon as I tutor, everyone gangs up on me. I've almost always had the combo disrupted when I started with Leyline of the Void in play. I wouldn't say Helm of Obedience is worthless outside of the combo, but it's a pretty weak card. I'm going to keep the combo for now, but it's definitely on the bubble.

Big Update:

- Seal of Doom
- Arena of the Ancients
- Meekstone
- Hellfire
- Brittle Effigy
- Cursed Totem
- Torpor Orb
- Duplicant
- Necrologia

+ Burnished Hart
+ Ward of Bones
+ Grim Monolith
+ No Mercy (I know, right?...)
+ Infest
+ Withering Wisps
+ Dread
+ Crawlspace
+ Toxic Deluge

A recent metagame shift towards decks full of smaller attackers and some key realizations about what this deck is and isn't have led me to make some pretty big changes.

This deck needs to be left alone to win the game.

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed doesn't play through hate well. It also really hates being the target of attacks because it uses life as a resource. Often it's the only deck without blockers which, combined with the previous point, leads people to throw a lot of damage at it. This usually leads to having to tutor for a board sweeper instead of a combo piece, which is ultimately futile. This is a turn six deck, and that's goldfishing. We're only going to win if people cut us some slack. Cards like Cursed Totem, Arena of the Ancients and Torpor Orb scream, "Hey! you can't do something fundamental to your deck until you deal with me!" Meekstone sort of falls in this category as well, although it usually makes you harder to kill at the same time. It's removal from the deck is more of a metagame call for me right now.

If your opponents don't have a removal spell for these cards, they'll try to kill you through attacks, which is the last thing we want to happen for reasons already stated.

Spot removal is incredibly weak when you can run sweepers.

The only reasons to run spot removal over a board sweeper are Gaddock Teeg and Iona, Shield of Emeria. If one of those hits the table, especially Iona, you're pretty much screwed. The list still has answers to both, but I feel that running too many answers just leads to decreased card quality in the games where you're not facing down Teeg and Iona. If someone is playing Gaddock Teeg as a general in your group, you will never win a game with this deck. Likewise, if someone in your group is always using Survival of the Fittest + Loyal Retainers + Iona, Shield of Emeria, you should probably play another deck. It was hubris to think that I could run enough answers to these cards to have game against those kind of decks. Instead, I'm going to play to my strengths.

Hellfire was cut for being too expensive and dealing me too much damage in my metagame. Necrologia is a temporary cut so I can try out some of these other cards. It'll likely work its way back in as I figure out which new cards aren't worth it. Also, with all the early creatures running around, Necrologia and Necropotence get a lot worse.

Toxic Deluge is a fantastic card that would have made the cut even if my group didn't turn into aggro decks. Withering Wisps and Infest provide some much needed pest control. Crawlspace, No Mercy and Dread keep attackers off me while I set up. Grim Monolith and Burnished Hart add some much needed ramp to the deck to speed things up. Ward of Bones might be one of those cards that make people want to kill you, but I've wanted to try it for a long time and it does keep the number of creatures down.

Updated first post.