How it grades
Fundamentals 66/100. Plays like Reanimator / graveyard.
This reads as Reanimator / graveyard, built around Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath. The graveyard is a second hand: stock it fast, then cheat the biggest things in it onto the battlefield for a fraction of their cost. Self-mill and discard are card selection, not card loss. Graveyard hate is the deck's nightmare, so diversify threats and keep a fair backup plan. Its strongest fundamental is mana reliability (Your spells reliably arrive on time for this curve); the first thing to tighten is commander synergy: Only 3 of 59 spells play into your commanders' plan; they want token, go-wide, sacrifice support. Counts the builds players run with your commanders (Lifegain; from EDHREC).
- A+Mana reliability
- A+Land count
- A+Mana curve
- A-Ramp
- ACard draw
- A+Interaction
- FCommander synergy
- AWin conditions
- BCard quality
- A+Legality & size
Where it falls short
- FCommander synergyOnly 3 of 59 spells play into your commanders' plan; they want token, go-wide, sacrifice support. Counts the builds players run with your commanders (Lifegain; from EDHREC).
- BCard qualityMedian EDHREC rank #5,555
Strong on mana reliability, land count, mana curve, ramp, card draw, interaction, win conditions and legality & size.
71 cards graded: A- 5, B+ 13, B 37, B- 11, C+ 2, C 1, C- 2. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.
Upgrades
Made together, they take Sworn To Darkness from C+ to B-.
Thought Vessel2—
In place of Magus of the Coffers: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (63/100)
Fills the ramp gap (you're at 10 of 11+). Pays off your card-draw engine (16 producers). Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan.
Decanter of Endless Water3$5.19
In place of Charcoal Diamond: enters tapped: the slow version of its job (63/100)
Top-5% staple by play data. Fills the ramp gap (you're at 10 of 11+). Pays off your card-draw engine (16 producers).
Forsaken Monument5$6.33
In place of Worn Powerstone: enters tapped: the slow version of its job (63/100)
Pays off your token engine (11 producers). Pays off the commanders' token plan. Fills the ramp gap (you're at 10 of 11+).
Psychosis Crawler5$2.68
In place of Nantuko Shade: doesn't ramp, draw, interact or threaten. What is it for? (35/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (16 producers). Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan. Top-5% staple by play data.
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse2BB$101.34
In place of Evernight Shade: doesn't ramp, draw, interact or threaten. What is it for? (38/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (16 producers). Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan. Top-5% staple by play data.
Banner of Kinship5$8.01
In place of Raving Dead: doesn't ramp, draw, interact or threaten. What is it for? (41/100)
Pays off your go-wide engine (21 producers). Pays off your token engine (11 producers). Pays off the commanders' token plan.
Wandering Archaic // Explore the Vastlands5$8.81
In place of Infernal Offering: weakest slot in the deck (51/100)
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (21 producers). Fits the lifegain build players run with your commanders. Top-5% staple by play data.
Syr Konrad, the Grim3BB$1.76
In place of Morkrut Banshee: weakest slot in the deck (53/100)
Pays off your sacrifice engine (8 producers). Pays off the commanders' sacrifice plan. EDHREC Reanimator / graveyard staple.
Pitiless Plunderer3B$4.85
In place of Crypt Ghast: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (66/100)
Fills the ramp gap (you're at 10 of 11+). Pays off your sacrifice engine (8 producers). Pays off the commanders' sacrifice plan.
Black Market3BB$6.36
In place of Unstable Obelisk: weakest slot in the deck (68/100)
Fills the ramp gap (you're at 10 of 11+). Pays off your sacrifice engine (8 producers). Pays off the commanders' sacrifice plan.
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Decklist
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Prices are current market estimates, not what the sealed product costs. Magic: The Gathering is © Wizards of the Coast.