Now that the Mayan Apocalypse didn’t happen, I can happily report on how I’m going to head into 2013, at least EDH-wise. We’ll talk about what I currently have and what I’m looking forward to putting together, as well as Those We Lost in 2012.

One of the things that came up on my wish list last week was the idea of an EDH Invitational. I think I’m going to put some actual thought into this instead of just dreaming about it. I know I won’t be able to get everyone that I want here at the same time, but I’m sure there’s a time of year that’s better for getting most of them here. Working out how to house and feed everyone and put together play space is actually minor compared to the logistics of actually getting them here. Updates as they come.

In Memoriam

I’ve had the same Sol’Kanar the Swamp King deck together since before it got reprinted in Time Spiral. It’s basically just a Grixis Good Stuff deck with no real coherence or cohesion. I created the document on January 7th this year and have opened it just once. It started as a graveyard deck—hence the Millikin in it—to go with Doomed Necromancer, Living Death, and the like, but it ended up as kind of the Island of Misfit Toys for cards that could be cool, like Galvanoth, Infernal Genesis, Rapacious One, and Blood Tyrant. Maybe I’ll pick it up one more time to see if it’s worth working on before stripping it down for parts for other decks.

The gang over on MTGS built an Isperia the Inscrutable deck for me a few years ago now. I played it a few times, and it was good. It was exactly the right power level. It had some fun times built in (Storm Herd + Gravitational Shift!), nice playability, and good stand up against slightly Spikier decks. After playing it a dozen times or so, I realized that it was just wasn’t my style. I let it sit for a while thinking that maybe I had just played it too much. After a year or more of it never being a deck I picked up, I retired it. I’m still really appreciative of the effort that went into it.

Vorosh, the Hunter got put together as a “+1/+1 counters matter” deck when it hit the streets. It managed to be a slave to theme without being well focused. It had some foils in it that I wanted for new decks, so it got cannibalized. The sweetest part was finding the foil Spike Feeder in it.

I also finally took apart the Cromat deck that I had gotten some help with from the folks online. The idea was cool: exactly one card from every expansion and core set. The problem became updating it. Eventually, we would have run out of nonland slots. I suppose we could go back and rebuild it, thinking first of the mana base (both Ravnica blocks could give us some flexibility) and then filling in the pieces. The problem was it was kind of “coolest card from each set” without so much focus. When it did well, it was always because of being able to resolve and keep Survival of the Fittest in play. Most of the rest of the time, it struggled with mana and threat density. Again, maybe it’s worth a look.

What’s Coming

I’d like to complete the One of Every Color Combination Project in 2013. There are still thirteen combinations which I don’t have: five-color, Orzhov, Boros, Dimir, Izzet, Simic, Rakdos, Gruul, and all the mono-colors, including colorless, except for white—which I have but don’t think I’ve ever written down. I’d like to tackle putting together the Return to Ravnica guilds (Izzet and Rakdos) before Gatecrash comes out, which will take care of seven holes once we get the cool Gatecrash guild leaders, leaving us only with five-color and the remaining mono-colors. Should be easy, right?

What’s Here

It looks like only a few of the decks are currently in the database. For those that are there and unchanged, I’ll link them. For those that aren’t in the database or those which have changed, I’ll include them. It’s going to make it kind of long, but the decklists should be easy to scroll past if you need to.

Adun Oakenshield and His Beasts

This is one of my favorite decks to play because it stays pretty true to the theme while having the kind of cohesion that a deck needs to play well. As new Beasts come out in sets (I’m definitely expecting something from Gatecrash and Gruul), some of the non-Beasts will get replaced. The deck started as Darigaaz and His Beasts as a landfall deck, switched to Karrthus because I wanted to play the Tyrant of Jund, and then became Adun when I decided to build a Karrthus/Dragons deck. There are still landfall elements, like Azusa, Oracle of Mul Daya, and Lotus Cobra, which will probably be the things on the chopping block.

Adun Okenshield and His Beasts

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (33)

• 1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
• 1 Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Krosan Warchief
• 1 Withered Wretch
• 1 Wood Elves
• 1 Adun Oakenshield
• 1 Krosan Tusker
• 1 Ravenous Baloth
• 1 Eternal Witness
• 1 Molder Slug
• 1 Fangren Pathcutter
• 1 Copperhoof Vorrac
• 1 Indrik Stomphowler
• 1 Greater Gargadon
• 1 Big Game Hunter
• 1 Shriekmaw
• 1 Chameleon Colossus
• 1 Taurean Mauler
• 1 Spearbreaker Behemoth
• 1 Spellbreaker Behemoth
• 1 Acidic Slime
• 1 Oracle of Mul Daya
• 1 Rampaging Baloths
• 1 Butcher of Malakir
• 1 Garruk's Packleader
• 1 Massacre Wurm
• 1 Garruk's Horde
• 1 Craterhoof Behemoth
• 1 Roaring Primadox
• 1 Thragtusk
• 1 Ghor-Clan Rampager
• 1 Gruul Ragebeast

Planeswalkers (1)

• 1 Garruk Wildspeaker

Lands (39)

• 6 Forest
• 1 Wooded Foothills
• 1 Wasteland
• 1 Karplusan Forest
• 3 Swamp
• 2 Mountain
• 1 Badlands
• 1 Darigaaz's Caldera
• 1 Contested Cliffs
• 1 Bloodstained Mire
• 1 Temple of the False God
• 1 Tower of the Magistrate
• 1 Miren, the Moaning Well
• 1 Golgari Rot Farm
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Gruul Turf
• 1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
• 1 Stomping Ground
• 1 Terramorphic Expanse
• 1 Graven Cairns
• 1 Mosswort Bridge
• 1 Spinerock Knoll
• 1 Savage Lands
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Rootbound Crag
• 1 Kazandu Refuge
• 1 Verdant Catacombs
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Kessig Wolf Run
• 1 Cavern of Souls

Spells (27)

• 1 Sensei's Divining Top
• 1 Tooth and Nail
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Demonic Tutor
• 1 Red Elemental Blast
• 1 Goblin Bombardment
• 1 Kodama's Reach
• 1 Plague Wind
• 1 Fires of Yavimaya
• 1 Patriarch's Bidding
• 1 Decree of Pain
• 1 Compost
• 1 Savage Beating
• 1 Aether Snap
• 1 Insurrection
• 1 Harrow
• 1 Survival of the Fittest
• 1 Greater Good
• 1 Pernicious Deed
• 1 Reroute
• 1 Sudden Spoiling
• 1 Lurking Predators
• 1 Momentous Fall
• 1 Sword of Body and Mind
• 1 Gruesome Encore
• 1 Hunter's Insight
• 1 Descendants' Path

Animar, Soul of Elements

I love playing this deck because it can get really wild. The downside is that it usually sputters out once Animar gets too expensive to recast. It doesn’t have any board sweepers to help get back to parity, so it’s very much a one-trick pony. It’s nonetheless ridiculously fun to play. There are now only six nonpermanents other than Primal Surge, so that’s a bit of a Plan B.

Animar, Soul of Elements

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (49)

• 1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1 Darksteel Colossus
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Spike Weaver
• 1 Man-o'-War
• 1 Spike Feeder
• 1 Wood Elves
• 1 Keiga, the Tide Star
• 1 Phantom Centaur
• 1 Seedborn Muse
• 1 Forgotten Ancient
• 1 Eternal Witness
• 1 Yavimaya Elder
• 1 Duplicant
• 1 Mindless Automaton
• 1 Shivan Wurm
• 1 Woodripper
• 1 Civic Wayfinder
• 1 Primordial Sage
• 1 Coiling Oracle
• 1 Plaxcaster Frogling
• 1 Fungal Behemoth
• 1 Llanowar Empath
• 1 Masked Admirers
• 1 Vigor
• 1 Fertilid
• 1 Stingmoggie
• 1 Woodfall Primus
• 1 Bloodbraid Elf
• 1 Terastodon
• 1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
• 1 Garruk's Packleader
• 1 Sylvan Ranger
• 1 Phyrexian Metamorph
• 1 Melira, Sylvok Outcast
• 1 Garruk's Horde
• 1 Animar, Soul of Elements
• 1 Scavenging Ooze
• 1 Champion of Lambholt
• 1 Deadeye Navigator
• 1 Maelstrom Wanderer
• 1 Roaring Primadox
• 1 Thragtusk
• 1 Fathom Mage
• 1 Zameck Guildmage
• 1 Prime Speaker Zegana
• 1 Gyre Sage
• 1 Master Biomancer
• 1 Crowned Ceratok

Lands (36)

• 1 Strip Mine
• 7 Forest
• 3 Mountain
• 8 Island
• 1 Volcanic Island
• 1 Tropical Island
• 1 Taiga
• 1 Yavimaya Hollow
• 1 Maze of Ith
• 1 Tower of the Magistrate
• 1 Dust Bowl
• 1 Stomping Ground
• 1 Vesuva
• 1 Llanowar Reborn
• 1 Mosswort Bridge
• 1 Ancient Ziggurat
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Rootbound Crag
• 1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Kessig Wolf Run

Spells (14)

• 1 Vorrac Battlehorns
• 1 Skyshroud Claim
• 1 Doubling Season
• 1 Evolution Vat
• 1 Coalition Relic
• 1 Cryptic Command
• 1 Steady Progress
• 1 Inexorable Tide
• 1 Asceticism
• 1 Tezzeret's Gambit
• 1 Chaos Warp
• 1 Warstorm Surge
• 1 Primal Surge
• 1 Bioshift

Geist of Saint Traft

I built this not so long ago and then changed out about a dozen cards when it just wasn’t doing so well. The most interesting card choice so far has been Portcullis, which doesn’t seem like it works well with Geist attacking (it doesn’t) but has otherwise created crazy game states. I’ve definitely had more fun playing this deck the last half dozen times compared to the first. I’ve gotten a few requests from Monday Night Gamer Keith Bogart to play it when he hasn’t brought along a deck, so I know it’s doing something right.

Geist of Saint Traft

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (30)

• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Clone
• 1 Sun Quan, Lord of Wu
• 1 Man-o'-War
• 1 Duplicant
• 1 Mistmeadow Witch
• 1 Galepowder Mage
• 1 Mulldrifter
• 1 Slithermuse
• 1 Knight of the White Orchid
• 1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
• 1 Serra Ascendant
• 1 Aether Adept
• 1 Frost Titan
• 1 Sun Titan
• 1 War Priest of Thune
• 1 Cryptoplasm
• 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
• 1 Phyrexian Metamorph
• 1 Phyrexian Ingester
• 1 Sphinx of Uthuun
• 1 Mikaeus, the Lunarch
• 1 Geist of Saint Traft
• 1 Restoration Angel
• 1 Silverblade Paladin
• 1 Deadeye Navigator
• 1 Sakashima's Student
• 1 Archon of the Triumvirate
• 1 Lyev Skyknight
• 1 Azorius Justiciar

Planeswalkers (5)

• 1 Ajani Goldmane
• 1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
• 1 Venser, the Sojourner
• 1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
• 1 Ajani, Caller of the Pride

Lands (38)

• 1 Strip Mine
• 10 Plains
• 1 Wasteland
• 1 Reflecting Pool
• 1 Adarkar Wastes
• 1 Kor Haven
• 14 Island
• 1 Flooded Strand
• 1 Azorius Chancery
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 1 Prahv, Spires of Order
• 1 Glacial Fortress
• 1 Celestial Colonnade
• 1 Halimar Depths
• 1 Sejiri Steppe
• 1 Command Tower

Spells (27)

• 1 Sensei's Divining Top
• 1 Wrath of God
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Holy Day
• 1 Darksteel Ingot
• 1 Wash Out
• 1 Future Sight
• 1 Sword of Light and Shadow
• 1 Sword of Fire and Ice
• 1 Hibernation
• 1 Wayfarer's Bauble
• 1 Crystal Shard
• 1 Portcullis
• 1 Erratic Portal
• 1 Mirror Strike
• 1 Rout
• 1 Vanish into Memory
• 1 Cryptic Command
• 1 Steel of the Godhead
• 1 Planar Cleansing
• 1 Sword of Vengeance
• 1 Blue Sun's Zenith
• 1 Pristine Talisman
• 1 Mycosynth Wellspring
• 1 Conjurer's Closet
• 1 Faith's Reward
• 1 Cyclonic Rift

Isamaru, Hound of Konda

I stripped out some cards to put into new decks that got built, so this one isn’t actually listed. I’ll fill the blanks back in and let you know what I came up with. Mono-white is the most interesting of the mono colors to me and seems the most playable.

Intet, the Dreamer

This is easily the strongest of my decks, although I’m still not sure how it would do in a truly competitive environment. It’s also somewhat difficult to play, so I’ll usually only pull it out when I know my mind is fresh. The version in the database is the most up to date.

Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord

I tried this as an old-school deck, and it fell flat on its face a few times. It turns out that creatures are way better these days than they were in the ancient times, so when I’d cast Natural Order, I kept being disappointed there was no Worldspine Wurm to grab. For some reason, there’s still no Worldspine Wurm in there, but that’s probably because I didn’t have one lying around.

Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (40)

• 1 Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
• 1 Nekrataal
• 1 Vhati il-Dal
• 1 Withered Wretch
• 1 Wood Elves
• 1 Elvish Aberration
• 1 Bottle Gnomes
• 1 Nezumi Graverobber
• 1 Chainer, Dementia Master
• 1 Genesis
• 1 Visara the Dreadful
• 1 Undead Gladiator
• 1 Silklash Spider
• 1 Greater Harvester
• 1 Twisted Abomination
• 1 Nantuko Vigilante
• 1 Mindless Automaton
• 1 Heart Warden
• 1 Filth
• 1 Civic Wayfinder
• 1 Dark Confidant
• 1 Golgari Brownscale
• 1 Grave-Shell Scarab
• 1 Indrik Stomphowler
• 1 Ohran Viper
• 1 Magus of the Library
• 1 Masked Admirers
• 1 Puppeteer Clique
• 1 Creakwood Liege
• 1 Lord of Extinction
• 1 Xathrid Demon
• 1 Blood Seeker
• 1 Avenger of Zendikar
• 1 Butcher of Malakir
• 1 Mitotic Slime
• 1 Sylvan Ranger
• 1 Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
• 1 Lotleth Troll

Planeswalkers (1)

• 1 Garruk Wildspeaker

Lands (38)

• 12 Forest
• 1 Llanowar Wastes
• 17 Swamp
• 1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
• 1 Tainted Wood
• 1 Maze of Ith
• 1 Tranquil Thicket
• 1 Barren Moor
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Command Tower

Spells (21)

• 1 Pattern of Rebirth
• 1 Reanimate
• 1 Living Death
• 1 Natural Order
• 1 Oversold Cemetery
• 1 Decree of Pain
• 1 Sword of Light and Shadow
• 1 Sword of Fire and Ice
• 1 Skullclamp
• 1 Promise of Power
• 1 Phyrexian Arena
• 1 Blasting Station
• 1 Scrabbling Claws
• 1 Greater Good
• 1 Skyshroud Claim
• 1 Pernicious Deed
• 1 Plague Boiler
• 1 Phthisis
• 1 Necrogenesis
• 1 Eldrazi Monument
• 1 Dying Wish

Karador, Ghost Chieftain

This is the deck that I want to play as much as possible. It’s my kind of toolbox deck. I like being active all the time, and this deck always has stuff to do. It’ll continue to be one of my go-to decks. There’s been a single change from the linked list: Ghostway came out and Faith’s Reward went in.

Karrthus and His Dragons

This deck is really representative of the format for me: huge, swingy things and Dragons raining fire from the sky. It takes a while to get going, even with a little ramp, so it’s not going to hold up to an environment that’s really fast. Once it gets rolling, it can deal large piles of damage pretty quickly. The deck is at critical mass on Dragons, so if there are any cool new ones coming out in Gatecrash, I might have to make some difficult choices.

Karrthus, Who Rains Fire From The Sky

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (27)

• 1 Dragonspeaker Shaman
• 1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Ryusei, the Falling Star
• 1 Bladewing the Risen
• 1 Bogardan Hellkite
• 1 Scourge of Kher Ridges
• 1 Flameblast Dragon
• 1 Dragon Broodmother
• 1 Dragonmaster Outcast
• 1 Steel Hellkite
• 1 Hoard-Smelter Dragon
• 1 Balefire Dragon
• 1 Thundermaw Hellkite
• 1 Utvara Hellkite
• 1 Hellkite Tyrant
• 1 Scourge of Valkas
• 1 Stormbreath Dragon
• 1 Siege Dragon
• 1 Warmonger Hellkite
• 1 Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury
• 1 Shockmaw Dragon
• 1 Destructor Dragon
• 1 Atarka, World Render
• 1 Dragonlord Atarka
• 1 Dragonlord Kolaghan
• 1 Savage Ventmaw

Planeswalkers (2)

• 1 Sarkhan the Mad
• 1 Garruk, Primal Hunter

Lands (37)

• 1 Strip Mine
• 6 Forest
• 1 Volrath's Stronghold
• 1 Swamp
• 4 Mountain
• 1 Taiga
• 1 Bayou
• 1 Badlands
• 1 Temple of the False God
• 1 Maze of Ith
• 1 Golgari Rot Farm
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Gruul Turf
• 1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
• 1 Stomping Ground
• 1 Blood Crypt
• 1 Rakdos Carnarium
• 1 Mosswort Bridge
• 1 Savage Lands
• 1 Dragonskull Summit
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Woodland Cemetery
• 1 Kessig Wolf Run
• 1 Cavern of Souls
• 1 Temple of Abandon
• 1 Opal Palace
• 1 Crucible of the Spirit Dragon
• 1 Haven of the Spirit Dragon

Spells (33)

• 1 Quicksilver Amulet
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Earthquake
• 1 Rampant Growth
• 1 Darksteel Ingot
• 1 Decimate
• 1 Patriarch's Bidding
• 1 Decree of Pain
• 1 Fault Line
• 1 Gilded Lotus
• 1 Scrabbling Claws
• 1 Dragon Fangs
• 1 Dragon Breath
• 1 Insurrection
• 1 Explosive Vegetation
• 1 Greater Good
• 1 Pernicious Deed
• 1 Violent Ultimatum
• 1 Comet Storm
• 1 Momentous Fall
• 1 Cultivate
• 1 Genesis Wave
• 1 Into the Core
• 1 Beast Within
• 1 Warstorm Surge
• 1 Guild Feud
• 1 Might Makes Right
• 1 See the Unwritten
• 1 Crux of Fate
• 1 Frontier Siege
• 1 Dragon Tempest
• 1 Flameshadow Conjuring
• 1 Nissa's Revelation

Kresh the Bloodbraided

One of my signature decks and one I always like to carry when I go to events. Again, it’s big and splashy, but at an appropriate time. It can’t do anything outlandish on turn 5, but on turn 15, all bets are off. The decklist is exactly as linked, although I’ve obtained a few new versions of cards for it in my long-term goal of turning the whole deck into the sexiest of all languages. Currently, Kokusho, Tangle, Garruk, Bayou, Graven Cairns, Savage Lands, and Taiga are all in Italian (and foil where possible).

Lord of Tresserhorn

I always enjoy playing this, but find that it’s one that gets left behind pretty often. I guess it suffers from being one of the oldest decks I have, so old, in fact, that it’s not in the database. It is almost all on-theme, with Solemn Simulacrum and Grave Titan being the only non-Zombies. I can justify Grave Titan being in there since it creates Zombies, but I think Jens just might have to go.

Lord of Tresserhorn

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (43)

• 1 Withered Wretch
• 1 Gravedigger
• 1 Undead Gladiator
• 1 Soulless One
• 1 Graveborn Muse
• 1 Undead Warchief
• 1 Lord of the Undead
• 1 Vengeful Dead
• 1 Twisted Abomination
• 1 Nefashu
• 1 Noxious Ghoul
• 1 Gempalm Polluter
• 1 Shepherd of Rot
• 1 Gravespawn Sovereign
• 1 Rank and File
• 1 Grave Defiler
• 1 Phyrexian Delver
• 1 Grotesque Hybrid
• 1 Helldozer
• 1 Crypt Champion
• 1 Death Baron
• 1 Lich Lord of Unx
• 1 Jhessian Zombies
• 1 Deathbringer Thoctar
• 1 Anathemancer
• 1 Cemetery Reaper
• 1 Grave Titan
• 1 Skinrender
• 1 Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
• 1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
• 1 Diregraf Captain
• 1 Wight of Precinct Six
• 1 Lifebane Zombie
• 1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
• 1 Tymaret, the Murder King
• 1 Nekusar, the Mindrazer
• 1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
• 1 Rakshasa Gravecaller
• 1 Corpse Augur
• 1 Forgotten Creation
• 1 Cryptbreaker
• 1 Lord of the Accursed
• 1 The Scarab God

Planeswalkers (1)

• 1 Liliana Vess

Lands (37)

• 13 Swamp
• 1 Mountain
• 2 Island
• 1 Tainted Peak
• 1 Tainted Isle
• 1 Unholy Grotto
• 1 Maze of Ith
• 1 Forgotten Cave
• 1 Barren Moor
• 1 Watery Grave
• 1 Steam Vents
• 1 Blood Crypt
• 1 Ghost Quarter
• 1 Crumbling Necropolis
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Dragonskull Summit
• 1 Drowned Catacomb
• 1 Akoum Refuge
• 1 Jwar Isle Refuge
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Desolate Lighthouse
• 1 Opal Palace
• 1 Myriad Landscape

Spells (18)

• 1 Nevinyrral's Disk
• 1 Living Death
• 1 Grave Pact
• 1 Shriveling Rot
• 1 Grab the Reins
• 1 Deadapult
• 1 Agonizing Demise
• 1 Damnation
• 1 Rooftop Storm
• 1 Endless Ranks of the Dead
• 1 Army of the Damned
• 1 Zombie Apocalypse
• 1 Gravepurge
• 1 Gem of Becoming
• 1 Rakdos Charm
• 1 Empty the Pits
• 1 Monastery Siege
• 1 Dark Salvation

Merieke Ri Berit

I built the first version of Merieke when I got a Time-Shifted one. She’s been through at least three iterations. It’s my one stab at a classic control deck. The card that I’m most fond of in this deck is Chronomantic Escape. It’s been a lifesaver more times than I can count.

Merieke Ri Berit

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (29)

• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Uyo, Silent Prophet
• 1 Jushi Apprentice
• 1 Weathered Wayfarer
• 1 Windborn Muse
• 1 Bane of the Living
• 1 Bone Shredder
• 1 Chromeshell Crab
• 1 Merieke Ri Berit
• 1 Dimir Doppelganger
• 1 Loxodon Gatekeeper
• 1 Venser, Shaper Savant
• 1 Galepowder Mage
• 1 Ghastlord of Fugue
• 1 Ethersworn Adjudicator
• 1 Enigma Sphinx
• 1 Devout Lightcaster
• 1 Archon of Redemption
• 1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
• 1 Sun Titan
• 1 Geth, Lord of the Vault
• 1 Massacre Wurm
• 1 Suture Priest
• 1 Phyrexian Metamorph
• 1 Phyrexian Ingester
• 1 Drogskol Reaver
• 1 Deadeye Navigator
• 1 Treasury Thrull
• 1 Nightveil Specter

Planeswalkers (2)

• 1 Liliana Vess
• 1 Venser, the Sojourner

Lands (38)

• 1 Forbidden Orchard
• 4 Plains
• 6 Swamp
• 8 Island
• 1 Underground Sea
• 1 Tundra
• 1 Scrubland
• 1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
• 1 Tainted Field
• 1 Temple of the False God
• 1 Maze of Ith
• 1 Tower of the Magistrate
• 1 Caves of Koilos
• 1 Watery Grave
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 1 Calciform Pools
• 1 Arcane Sanctum
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Drowned Catacomb
• 1 Glacial Fortress
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Vault of the Archangel

Spells (32)

• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Time Stop
• 1 Whispers of the Muse
• 1 Aura of Silence
• 1 Darksteel Ingot
• 1 Decree of Pain
• 1 Crawlspace
• 1 Bribery
• 1 Rhystic Study
• 1 Copy Enchantment
• 1 Peel from Reality
• 1 Ghostway
• 1 Mortify
• 1 Orzhov Signet
• 1 Magewright's Stone
• 1 Phthisis
• 1 Sudden Spoiling
• 1 Chronomantic Escape
• 1 Thousand-Year Elixir
• 1 Obelisk of Esper
• 1 Armillary Sphere
• 1 Tainted Sigil
• 1 Sleep
• 1 Day of Judgment
• 1 Volition Reins
• 1 Mimic Vat
• 1 Blue Sun's Zenith
• 1 Mycosynth Wellspring
• 1 Druidic Satchel
• 1 Trading Post
• 1 Illusionist's Bracers
• 1 Merciless Eviction

The Mimeoplasm

I wanted this to be a “mill some of your stuff so that I can Reanimate it” deck, but the straight mill strategy has worked out a number of times, which was a total surprise. Early turn Mesmeric Orb helps. I finally added an Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre (when Primeval Titan went away) to keep from milling myself out—plus it’s just awesome.

I play Withered Wretch in so many other decks that I didn’t want to also put it in this one, but some selective graveyard hate is probably a good idea because graveyard strategies are good in this format and I’m just helping them along. Wretch is also one of the few ways to deal with someone else’s Eldrazi hitting the graveyard. Chains of Mephistopheles is easily my favorite card in this deck. If you’re not going crazy with card draw, it won’t hurt you. If you are, watch out.

Nath of the Gilt-Leaf

I built this to be a budget deck then streamlined it to be even more budget, taking out things like Volrath’s Stronghold—which, by the way, is a card that I’ve put into a fair number of decks and never seems to be worth using.

Nath of the Gilt-Leaf

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (34)

• 1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1 Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Spike Weaver
• 1 Withered Wretch
• 1 Uktabi Orangutan
• 1 Wood Elves
• 1 Genesis
• 1 Eternal Witness
• 1 Bone Shredder
• 1 Yavimaya Elder
• 1 Thrashing Wumpus
• 1 Deranged Hermit
• 1 Civic Wayfinder
• 1 Indrik Stomphowler
• 1 Masked Admirers
• 1 Shriekmaw
• 1 Chameleon Colossus
• 1 Creakwood Liege
• 1 Lord of Extinction
• 1 Acidic Slime
• 1 Master of the Wild Hunt
• 1 Oracle of Mul Daya
• 1 Necrotic Ooze
• 1 Glissa, the Traitor
• 1 Thrun, the Last Troll
• 1 Stingerfling Spider
• 1 Splinterfright
• 1 Bloodline Keeper
• 1 Blood Artist
• 1 Creeperhulk
• 1 Surrak, the Hunt Caller
• 1 Priest of the Blood Rite
• 1 Eyeless Watcher

Planeswalkers (1)

• 1 Garruk, Primal Hunter

Lands (36)

• 1 Strip Mine
• 1 Pendelhaven
• 10 Forest
• 1 Llanowar Wastes
• 1 Reflecting Pool
• 7 Swamp
• 1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
• 1 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
• 1 Tainted Wood
• 1 Dust Bowl
• 1 Golgari Rot Farm
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Gilt-Leaf Palace
• 1 Jund Panorama
• 1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Evolving Wilds
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Woodland Cemetery
• 1 Grim Backwoods
• 1 Temple of Malady

Spells (28)

• 1 Rancor
• 1 Nevinyrral's Disk
• 1 Reanimate
• 1 Living Death
• 1 Corpse Dance
• 1 Animate Dead
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Deathgrip
• 1 Grave Pact
• 1 Tangle
• 1 Oversold Cemetery
• 1 Beacon of Unrest
• 1 Oblivion Stone
• 1 Phyrexian Arena
• 1 Syphon Mind
• 1 Primal Order
• 1 Greater Good
• 1 Pernicious Deed
• 1 Restock
• 1 Farseek
• 1 Putrefy
• 1 Dread Return
• 1 Makeshift Mannequin
• 1 Eldrazi Monument
• 1 Dark Tutelage
• 1 Nihil Spellbomb
• 1 Gutter Grime
• 1 Collected Company

Oros, the Avenger

Coming on the heels of Ruhan as a vehicle for a Sunforger package, Oros has been unexciting to play. It suffers from being the worst of the wedges for getting a few extra lands into play, so it has to rely more on mana rocks, which are going to get blown up at some point. It’s a deck that’s going to get some work done on it in the new year. I’m still waiting for the awesome blowout of Spike Cannibal.

Oros, the Avenger

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (20)

• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Withered Wretch
• 1 Myojin of Cleansing Fire
• 1 Spike Cannibal
• 1 Viashino Heretic
• 1 Loxodon Gatekeeper
• 1 Netherborn Phalanx
• 1 Angel of Despair
• 1 Oros, the Avenger
• 1 Galepowder Mage
• 1 Kulrath Knight
• 1 Necroskitter
• 1 Anathemancer
• 1 Stoneforge Mystic
• 1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
• 1 Carnifex Demon
• 1 Massacre Wurm
• 1 Invader Parasite
• 1 Aurelia, the Warleader
• 1 Deathpact Angel

Lands (37)

• 11 Plains
• 1 Thawing Glaciers
• 9 Swamp
• 5 Mountain
• 1 Scrubland
• 1 Plateau
• 1 Badlands
• 1 Bloodstained Mire
• 1 Kjeldoran Outpost
• 1 Rocky Tar Pit
• 1 Kher Keep
• 1 Mistveil Plains
• 1 Arid Mesa
• 1 Marsh Flats
• 1 Command Tower

Spells (42)

• 1 Wrath of God
• 1 Enlightened Tutor
• 1 Swords to Plowshares
• 1 Land Tax
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Aura of Silence
• 1 Holy Day
• 1 Price of Progress
• 1 Darksteel Ingot
• 1 Starstorm
• 1 Akroma's Vengeance
• 1 Decree of Pain
• 1 Exile
• 1 Sudden Impact
• 1 Oblation
• 1 Delirium
• 1 Mirror Strike
• 1 Backlash
• 1 Grave Consequences
• 1 Boros Signet
• 1 Brightflame
• 1 Sunforger
• 1 Ghostway
• 1 Orzhov Signet
• 1 Rakdos Signet
• 1 Phthisis
• 1 Return to Dust
• 1 Porphyry Nodes
• 1 Pollen Lullaby
• 1 Wild Ricochet
• 1 Batwing Brume
• 1 Hallowed Burial
• 1 Armillary Sphere
• 1 Basilisk Collar
• 1 Into the Core
• 1 Black Sun's Zenith
• 1 White Sun's Zenith
• 1 Mycosynth Wellspring
• 1 Martyr's Bond
• 1 Boros Charm
• 1 Five-Alarm Fire
• 1 Homing Lightning

Phelddagrif

The first of my signature decks, this has gone through more changes than I can count. I put together a new version in May 2011, and it’s remained consistent since. It’s now all about the Maro-Sorcerers and drawing cards. The card I sometimes feel bad about playing is Psychosis Crawler. Comboing with Greater Good feels just dirty.

Phelddagrif

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (29)

• 1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Myojin of Seeing Winds
• 1 Phelddagrif
• 1 Multani, Maro-Sorcerer
• 1 Sunscape Battlemage
• 1 Kiyomaro, First to Stand
• 1 Soramaro, First to Dream
• 1 Coiling Oracle
• 1 Trygon Predator
• 1 Mulldrifter
• 1 Overbeing of Myth
• 1 Noble Hierarch
• 1 Skyward Eye Prophets
• 1 Qasali Pridemage
• 1 Acidic Slime
• 1 Oracle of Mul Daya
• 1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
• 1 Psychosis Crawler
• 1 Sturmgeist
• 1 Windreader Sphinx
• 1 Chasm Skulker
• 1 Stormsurge Kraken
• 1 Sage of Ancient Lore
• 1 Hermit of the Natterknolls
• 1 Ulvenwald Observer
• 1 Kefnet the Mindful
• 1 Nimble Obstructionist
• 1 Nezahal, Primal Tide

Lands (38)

• 1 Brushland
• 5 Forest
• 6 Plains
• 1 Adarkar Wastes
• 5 Island
• 1 Tundra
• 1 Savannah
• 1 Temple of the False God
• 1 Krosan Verge
• 1 Temple Garden
• 1 Azorius Chancery
• 1 Breeding Pool
• 1 Ghost Quarter
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 1 Nimbus Maze
• 1 Seaside Citadel
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Glacial Fortress
• 1 Sunpetal Grove
• 1 Celestial Colonnade
• 1 Sejiri Steppe
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Homeward Path
• 1 Prairie Stream
• 1 Fortified Village

Spells (33)

• 1 Sensei's Divining Top
• 1 Ground Seal
• 1 Final Judgment
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Aura of Silence
• 1 Rampant Growth
• 1 Mirari's Wake
• 1 Skyshroud Claim
• 1 Keep Watch
• 1 Far Wanderings
• 1 Equal Treatment
• 1 Privileged Position
• 1 Cytoshape
• 1 Krosan Grip
• 1 Akroma's Memorial
• 1 Austere Command
• 1 Explore
• 1 Momentous Fall
• 1 Recurring Insight
• 1 Cultivate
• 1 Blue Sun's Zenith
• 1 Martyr's Bond
• 1 Cyclonic Rift
• 1 Unexpected Results
• 1 Profound Journey
• 1 Seasons Past
• 1 Paradoxical Outcome
• 1 Rishkar's Expertise
• 1 The Immortal Sun
• 1 Kumena's Awakening
• 1 Estrid's Invocation
• 1 Myth Unbound
• 1 Ever-Watching Threshold

Rith, the Awakener

This is another one that’s been together a good long time. It’s a Soldier-themed deck, and as Soldiers and Soldier-based cards, like Hero of Bladehold, get better and better, we’ll certainly see more and more adherence to theme in this one. It’s interesting to me that I really like Naya colors but have never been tempted to build other Naya-colored decks, like Mayael or Uril.

Rith, the Awakener

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (36)

• 1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Wood Elves
• 1 Glory
• 1 Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
• 1 Yavimaya Elder
• 1 Karmic Guide
• 1 Crusading Knight
• 1 Darien, King of Kjeldor
• 1 Saffi Eriksdotter
• 1 Brion Stoutarm
• 1 Duergar Hedge-Mage
• 1 Knight of the White Orchid
• 1 Dauntless Escort
• 1 Acidic Slime
• 1 Captain of the Watch
• 1 Avenger of Zendikar
• 1 Hero of Bladehold
• 1 Suture Priest
• 1 Gideon's Avenger
• 1 Hellrider
• 1 Craterhoof Behemoth
• 1 Odric, Master Tactician
• 1 Foundry Champion
• 1 Legion Loyalist
• 1 Boros Battleshaper
• 1 Karametra, God of Harvests
• 1 Soul of Theros
• 1 Jazal Goldmane
• 1 Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas
• 1 Bastion Protector
• 1 Deceiver of Form
• 1 Archangel Avacyn
• 1 Odric, Lunarch Marshal
• 1 Anointer Priest
• 1 Oketra the True

Planeswalkers (1)

• 1 Samut, the Tested

Lands (36)

• 1 Brushland
• 4 Forest
• 7 Plains
• 1 Gaea's Cradle
• 1 City of Brass
• 7 Mountain
• 1 Plateau
• 1 Rith's Grove
• 1 Temple of the False God
• 1 Boros Garrison
• 1 Selesnya Sanctuary
• 1 Temple Garden
• 1 Gruul Turf
• 1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
• 1 Stomping Ground
• 1 Mosswort Bridge
• 1 Windbrisk Heights
• 1 Fire-Lit Thicket
• 1 Jungle Shrine
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Kazandu Refuge

Spells (26)

• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Holy Day
• 1 Rampant Growth
• 1 Decree of Justice
• 1 Skullclamp
• 1 Explosive Vegetation
• 1 Aura Shards
• 1 Akroma's Memorial
• 1 Titanic Ultimatum
• 1 Martial Coup
• 1 Comet Storm
• 1 Cultivate
• 1 Faith's Reward
• 1 Boros Charm
• 1 Aurelia's Fury
• 1 Legion's Initiative
• 1 Shamanic Revelation
• 1 Elemental Bond
• 1 Ulvenwald Mysteries
• 1 Tenacity
• 1 Savage Alliance
• 1 Sram's Expertise
• 1 Indomitable Creativity
• 1 Oketra's Monument
• 1 Anointed Procession
• 1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc

Ruhan of the Fomori

Oh, the LOLZ that this deck creates. It’s mostly reactive, meaning not necessarily my preferred style, but I love sitting back waiting to do bad things to people when THEY try to do bad things. Full credit for the genesis of this deck goes to Armada Games’ Todd Palmer, who called me up to the computer one day and asked, “Have you ever seen this card?” It was Parallectric Feedback, and a deck was born.

Thraximundar

I ran a contest a while back to build this deck. The Thraximundar deck that I play right now is actually the second place deck in that contest. The winner was a Thrax-Sliver thing that I thought was pretty clever, but this version suits my play style a little better. It’s certainly gone through some updates since then while keeping the “take advantage of sacrifice” theme. My favorite recent addition to the deck has been Sneak Attack, which has been an even cheaper way to take advantage of the evoke creatures in the deck.

Thraximundar

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 12-30-2012

Commander

Creatures (28)

• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Clone
• 1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
• 1 Withered Wretch
• 1 Nezumi Graverobber
• 1 Siege-Gang Commander
• 1 Phyrexian Plaguelord
• 1 Bone Shredder
• 1 Duplicant
• 1 Dross Harvester
• 1 Bloodfire Colossus
• 1 Kagemaro, First to Suffer
• 1 Draining Whelk
• 1 Greater Gargadon
• 1 Ingot Chewer
• 1 Mulldrifter
• 1 Shriekmaw
• 1 Spitebellows
• 1 Fulminator Mage
• 1 Puppeteer Clique
• 1 Glen Elendra Archmage
• 1 Fleshbag Marauder
• 1 Thraximundar
• 1 Massacre Wurm
• 1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
• 1 Reaper from the Abyss
• 1 Deadeye Navigator
• 1 Crypt Ghast

Lands (38)

• 1 Wasteland
• 10 Swamp
• 4 Mountain
• 7 Island
• 1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
• 1 Bloodstained Mire
• 1 Diamond Valley
• 1 High Market
• 1 Watery Grave
• 1 Izzet Boilerworks
• 1 Steam Vents
• 1 Blood Crypt
• 1 Graven Cairns
• 1 Spinerock Knoll
• 1 Cascade Bluffs
• 1 Crumbling Necropolis
• 1 Dragonskull Summit
• 1 Scalding Tarn
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Command Tower

Spells (34)

• 1 Nevinyrral's Disk
• 1 Corpse Dance
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Demonic Tutor
• 1 Perish
• 1 Darksteel Ingot
• 1 Oversold Cemetery
• 1 Beacon of Unrest
• 1 Sword of Light and Shadow
• 1 Hibernation
• 1 Oblivion Stone
• 1 Gilded Lotus
• 1 Phyrexian Arena
• 1 Grab the Reins
• 1 Barter in Blood
• 1 Sneak Attack
• 1 Attrition
• 1 Fact or Fiction
• 1 Backlash
• 1 Dawn of the Dead
• 1 Twincast
• 1 Cerebral Vortex
• 1 Perilous Research
• 1 Damnation
• 1 Wild Ricochet
• 1 Minion Reflector
• 1 Armillary Sphere
• 1 Slave of Bolas
• 1 Blue Sun's Zenith
• 1 Praetor's Grasp
• 1 Mycosynth Wellspring
• 1 Gem of Becoming
• 1 Rakdos Charm
• 1 Grave Betrayal

Trostani, Selesnya’s Voice (and Her Angels)

Born from wanting to make an Angel deck after taking them all out of Karador to go a different way with it, this has been a blast to play. I’ve died multiple times to commander damage while at extreme life, but that’s to be expected. My favorite ever was getting killed by Zedruu (Gisela, Blade of Goldnight and Elspeth, Knight-Errant were involved). I’ve even survived multiple times after being dropped to ten by Sorin Markov by just getting the engines rolling again. In just the last game I played with this, Serra Avatar, Restoration Angel, and Conjurer’s Closet made me need to pull out a calculator.

There are three changes from the linked list. Terminus, Cavern of Souls, and Garruk’s Packleader came in, and Mass Calcify, Tranquil Thicket, and Sundering Growth came out.

That’s how I’ll be Embracing the Chaos in 2013. When the project is complete, I’ll end up with 32 decks, which might mean adding a second night of the week to play (to make sure none of them feel left out). We’ll see how that turns out. Until then, have a safe and happy New Year.