Sauron, the Dark Lord
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- Commander
- Sauron, the Dark Lord
- Cards
- 100
- Current value
- $481.72
- Grade
- A+
How it grades
Fundamentals 98/100. Plays like Reanimator / graveyard and +1/+1 counters.
This reads as Reanimator / graveyard · +1/+1 counters, built around Sauron, the Dark Lord. 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. Sauron, the Dark Lord sits on the cEDH tier list, so the ceiling here is tournament-grade, and experienced tables will treat it that way. The fundamentals check out across the board. From here it's meta calls and personal tech.
- AMana reliability
- A+Land count
- A+Mana curve
- A+Ramp
- ACard draw
- A+Interaction
- A+Commander synergy
- AWin conditions
- A+Card quality
- A+Legality & size
Nothing falls short. Strong on mana reliability, land count, mana curve, ramp, card draw, interaction, commander synergy, win conditions, card quality and legality & size.
81 cards graded: A- 5, B+ 31, B 45. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.
Upgrades
Psychosis Crawler5$2.33
In place of Soothing of Sméagol: weakest slot in the deck (60/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (11 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Fits the commander's plan.
Impact Tremors1R$2.57
In place of Sauron's Ransom: weakest slot in the deck (61/100)
Pays off your go-wide engine (20 producers). Fits the token build players run with your commanders. Top-5% staple by play data.
Terror of the Peaks3RR$30.11
In place of Claim the Precious: sorcery-speed removal: can't answer on their turn (62/100)
Pays off your go-wide engine (20 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Fits the token build players run with your commanders.
Return the FavorRR$1.10
In place of Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (22 producers). Fuels your instant-and-sorcery payoffs (3 in deck). Fits the instant-and-sorcery build players run with your commanders.
Banner of Kinship5$7.92
In place of Orcish Siegemaster: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Pays off your go-wide engine (20 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Fits the token build players run with your commanders.
Reflections of Littjara4U$2.80
In place of The Balrog of Moria: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (63/100)
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (22 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Fits the instant-and-sorcery build players run with your commanders.
Purphoros, God of the Forge3R$27.38
In place of Saruman's Trickery: its U cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (63/100)
Pays off your go-wide engine (20 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Fits the token build players run with your commanders.
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse2BB$98.25
In place of Bilbo, Retired Burglar: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Fits the wheel build players run with your commanders. Pays off your card-draw engine (11 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Marionette Apprentice1B$2.04
In place of Grishnákh, Brash Instigator: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off your artifact engine (11 producers). Fuels your +1/+1 counter payoffs (7 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data.
Emry, Lurker of the Loch2U$0.66
In place of Ringsight: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Fuels your graveyard payoffs (3 in deck). Fits the graveyard build players run with your commanders. Pays off your artifact engine (11 producers).
Save a copy to try them. The editor's Improve list has these and more, with the swaps one click each.
Decklist
Commander 1
Creatures 24
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B+
- B+×7
- B+
- B
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
Instants 10
- B+
- A-
- B
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B+
Sorceries 12
- B+
- B+
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- A-
- A-
- B
- B
- B
- B
Artifacts 11
- B+
- B+
- B
- B+
- B
- B+
- B+
- B
- B+
- B
- A-
Enchantments 6
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B
- B+
Lands 36
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B×5
- B
- B×4
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B×6
- B
- B
- B
- B+
Prices are current market estimates, not what the sealed product costs. Magic: The Gathering is © Wizards of the Coast.