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Dominus - Dreamcrusher Edition
Commander / EDH Combo Competitive Control G/U/B (Sultai, BUG) Infinite Combo Multiplayer
Epochalyptik Score: 557
Land (37)
- 1x Ancient Tomb
- 1x Bayou
- 1x Bloodstained Mire
- 1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
- 1x Breeding Pool
- 1x Cavern of Souls
- 1x Cephalid Coliseum
- 1x Command Tower
- 1x Drowned Catacomb
- 1x Dryad Arbor
- 1x Flooded Strand
- 1x Forbidden Orchard
- 1x Hinterland Harbor
- 1x Marsh Flats
- 1x Misty Rainforest
- 1x Overgrown Tomb
- 1x Polluted Delta
- 1x Reflecting Pool
- 1x Reliquary Tower
- 1x Riptide Laboratory
- 1x Scalding Tarn
- 2x Snow-Covered Forest
- 2x Snow-Covered Island
- 1x Snow-Covered Swamp
- 1x Strip Mine
- 1x Tolaria West
- 1x Tropical Island
- 1x Underground Sea
- 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
- 1x Verdant Catacombs
- 1x Volrath's Stronghold
- 1x Wasteland
- 1x Watery Grave
- 1x Windswept Heath
- 1x Wooded Foothills
WinCon (7)
Utility (23)
- 1x Blue Sun's Zenith
- 1x Consecrated Sphinx
- 1x Crucible of Worlds
- 1x Deathrite Shaman
- 1x Demonic Tutor
- 1x Eternal Witness
- 1x Green Sun's Zenith
- 1x Imperial Seal
- 1x Intuition
- 1x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
- 1x Leyline of Anticipation
- 1x Lim-Dul's Vault
- 1x Mystic Remora
- 1x Mystical Teachings
- 1x Mystical Tutor
- 1x Necropotence
- 1x Phantasmal Image
- 1x Sensei's Divining Top
- 1x Snapcaster Mage
- 1x Sylvan Library
- 1x Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
- 1x Vampiric Tutor
- 1x Yawgmoth's Will
Ramp (18)
- 1x Arbor Elf
- 1x Azusa, Lost but Seeking
- 1x Birds of Paradise
- 1x Burgeoning
- 1x Carpet of Flowers
- 1x Dark Ritual
- 1x Deathrite Shaman
- 1x Exploration
- 1x Grim Monolith
- 1x Lotus Cobra
- 1x Mana Crypt
- 1x Mana Vault
- 1x Mox Diamond
- 1x Nature's Lore
- 1x Oracle of Mul Daya
- 1x Skyshroud Claim
- 1x Sol Ring
- 1x Three Visits
Sideboard (2)
Control (18)
- 1x Arcane Denial
- 1x Counterspell
- 1x Cyclonic Rift
- 1x Damnation
- 1x Dispel
- 1x Flusterstorm
- 1x Force of Will
- 1x Mana Drain
- 1x Memory Lapse
- 1x Misdirection
- 1x Nature's Claim
- 1x Pact of Negation
- 1x Remand
- 1x Spell Pierce
- 1x Stifle
- 1x Swan Song
- 1x Venser, Shaper Savant
- 1x Voidslime
Maybeboard (11)
This is a tournament-level combo control deck. It is designed to win in high-pressure environments by withstanding incoming disruption, suppressing opponents, and using efficient and powerful combos.
This deck is built around a network of synergies; the combos have interchangeable pieces, and the cards that support them can be used outside of the combo as general utility cards. Because the number of combo-only cards is minimized, the deck's resilience is increased, and the odds of drawing dead cards are decreased.
The Primer
High-Level Overview
Reading this decklist
Reading this decklist
This decklist is organized, by default, into my custom categories. Cards intended at the high level to have cross-category functionality will appear in multiple categories.
- Land: Self-explanatory.
- Utility: The tutor, draw, and recursion effects that improve the deck's function and support its fast, efficient style.
- Control: The counterspells and removal spells that allow me to respond to opponents' plays and control the game.
- Ramp: The ramp spells and permanents that allow me to accelerate mana production and outpace my opponents. Ramp is critical to winning before my opponents do, and it fuels the control elements in the deck so tempo isn't lost when responding to threats.
- WinCons: The win conditions used to achieve victory.
The sideboard is a working list of cards that are in the deck, but are being considered for elimination based on performance and developing theory.
The maybeboard is a working list of cards that are not in the deck, but are being considered for inclusion pending testing and developing theory.
Why ?
Why ?
I chose BUG because it offers what I believe to be the best mix of the essential elements of a combo-control deck: mana acceleration, draw power, responsive power (removal, counterspells), tutor power, and synergy. While some color combinations may excel more at one or the other, BUG is a solid performer across all of them.
Why Damia?
Why Damia?
At the time this deck was constructed, there were only three commanders available: Vorosh, the Hunter, Damia, Sage of Stone, and The Mimeoplasm.
Vorosh, the Hunter doesn't suit the combo goals of this deck because it doesn't offer much utility and it needs to attack to be useful. It was immediately excluded from the decision.
The Mimeoplasm can be used for combos, but its approach is more graveyard-based. It relies on Entomb effects and a reanimator strategy to work. I decided against this kind of strategy because traditional combo-control is more stable; you have more control over your flow of resources, and you risk less overall.
Damia, Sage of Stone is much of a Goldilocks solution: it's good in its own right, but it's the best because the other options are clearly worse. Damia, Sage of Stone brings strong utility to the deck, and it plays a critical role in stabilizing the deck after it spends its Stage I resources ramping ahead of opponents.
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant doesn't offer anything to the deck in terms of utility or viability, so it isn't worth considering here.
Tasigur, the Golden Fang does allow me to return any nonland card to my hand with infinite mana, but it doesn't provide the draw power that's so critical for sustaining the deck in the midgame.
This deck excels at executing resilient, powerful ramp and control strategies and at maintaining a steady tempo throughout the game. Because it relies on efficient, powerful cards in addition to a fast ramp package, the deck is capable of explosive opening turns that quickly accelerate it beyond the reach of all but the most tenacious control.
The deck's primary weakness is fast control decks. Zur the Enchanter, Arcum Dagsson, and five-color Hermit Druid are examples of decks that have the potential to outrace this list and combo out before I get stabilized. This deck is optimized for multiplayer, so dedicated 1v1 decks tend to have a natural advantage against it in the 1v1 environment.
Anti-control cards like Stranglehold and Aven Mindcensor prove to be problematic if they resolve, but there are answers to such cards in the deck. Getting around these effects is a matter of drawing the answer the traditional way, which makes them harder to deal with. Draw power and countermagic are essential to stopping these cards once they hit (and ideally before).
Ruination, Blood Moon, and Magus of the Moon are also threats because of the way the deck's land base was designed. If these cards resolve, I lose.
Card Choices Explained
The land base in this deck combines optimized color fixing with strong utility effects.
- The 3-3-9 split
This is the optimal starting point for any three-color EDH deck. "3-3-9" refers to the set of three shock lands, three ABUR duals, and nine fetch lands playable in a tricolor deck. This setup guarantees (to the extent that anything can be guaranteed in EDH) that the deck will have access to the proper colors at the proper times. Furthermore, it allows the deck to play highly-saturated spells like Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and Necropotence without losing tempo to go find more sources of another color.
- Drowned Catacomb and Hinterland Harbor
These cards should almost always enter the battlefield untapped (given that the deck plays the 3-3-9 split and has other ways to guarantee basic land types), and they provide /X with no real downside.
- Snow basics
Although the snow basics aren't strictly necessary, they help against monocolor decks that run snow lands and Extraplanar Lens to avoid accelerating their opponents. In a vacuum, the snow lands don't make a functional difference to this deck. You could easily run non-snow basics instead.
- Ancient Tomb
This card is basically the upgraded version of Temple of the False God, another EDH staple. It can tap for mana at any time, and the investment of life is a low price for the extra mana production. The only real downside is that this land won't allow you to combo off if you are forced to rely on it; it will kill you rather quickly.
- Boseiju, Who Shelters All
This card helps guarantee the combo against control decks. An uncounterable Tooth and Nail into Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir (see the section below on combos) shuts your opponents out of your turn and allows you to win the game unhindered.
The downside is that this land comes in tapped, and it can only produce colorless mana and only at the expense of life. It's definitely a late-game play to set up for your combo.
- Cavern of Souls
This card is in the deck for a few reasons. First, it's a powerful way to guarantee that your Wizards resolve. You can protect Damia, Sage of Stone, Snapcaster Mage, Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, and Venser, Shaper Savant in this way. Second, you can name Illusion in order to protect Phantasmal Image and Palinchon for the combo.
- Cephalid Coliseum
This card makes the cut because it taps for and comes with a decent utility ability. This deck doesn't have any issues reaching threshold by Stage II or Stage III (see the section below on strategy), and the filtering can allow you to draw something you tutored to the top of your library or just help dig for an answer.
- Command Tower
The EDH classic, Command Tower is a staple in every multicolored EDH deck.
- Dryad Arbor
This card has definite upsides and downsides. It can be a turn-one find with Green Sun's Zenith to help ramp when there aren't many other options. It also serves as another fetchable land for the Forest-specific effects. Additionally, it can chump block a combat-oriented commander or utility creature if necessary.
The downsides include its vulnerability as a creature (losing lands to board wipes is suboptimal) and the fact that it has summoning sickness on its first turn (which means it can't be an immediate asset as a mana source).
- Forbidden Orchard
This card functions as an additional Command Tower with virtually no downside. The tokens it makes won't lose you the game, and they can be used politically to help temporary allies survive.
- Reflecting Pool
This card functions as an additional Command Tower. Because this deck runs the 3-3-9 lineup and the most powerful dual-fetching ramp spells, you're basically guaranteed to have the color fixing to assure that Reflecting Pool is never anything less than a dual land. It'll almost always be a Command Tower by turn two or three.
- Reliquary Tower
This card is extremely useful in conjunction with the deck's draw engines. Although it doesn't directly synergize with Damia, Sage of Stone, it's still very useful in breaking Necropotence and its ilk even further.
- Riptide Laboratory
This card enables a combo with Venser, Shaper Savant (see the section below on combos), and it also allows you to recur Snapcaster Mage. In a pinch, it can be used to keep Damia, Sage of Stone from costing an extra if a board wipe is about to resolve.
- Strip Mine and Wasteland
These cards have the benefit of both producing mana and serving as low-investment solutions to opponents' utility lands. They're very capable of dealing with an opponent's Boseiju, Who Shelters All or Cavern of Souls and clearing the way for the deck's counterspells.
- Tolaria West
This card functions as a tutor for Pact of Negation, Mana Crypt, or Mox Diamond, depending on the situation. It's slow as a regular land play, but sometimes it's needed as an additional land. Exploration effects help mitigate the ETB-tapped downside by allowing you to play other lands for immediate use.
- Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
This card allows me to focus even more heavily on / lands (which are the most important in the deck) and helps make Necropotence more playable. Although it can also help opponents with color fixing, it should usually provide enough utility to mitigate that downside.
- Volrath's Stronghold
This card is useful for recovering utility creatures like Eternal Witness and Snapcaster Mage, and it can also be used to recover from combo disruption.
This deck capitalizes on efficient ramp effects in order to outpace opponents, accelerate its win, and maintain pressure.
- Azusa, Lost but Seeking, Burgeoning, Exploration, and Oracle of Mul Daya
Extra land-per-turn effects allow the deck to have explosive openers, and they synergize with Lotus Cobra. They also help make more room in hand when Damia, Sage of Stone or Necropotence is online.
Finally, they enable fetch abuse with Crucible of Worlds and a land destruction interaction with Crucible of Worlds and either Strip Mine or Wasteland.
- Nature's Lore, Skyshroud Claim, and Three Visits
These cards are powerful ramp spells that are capable of finding shocks and ABUR duals. The ramp and color fixing they provide is invaluable.
- Grim Monolith and Mana Vault
These cards are low-cost ramp rocks that allow the deck to produce the extra mana it needs for its two high-cost staples: Damia, Sage of Stone and Tooth and Nail. Don't worry about paying to untap them; they're typically used as single-shot mana sources.
- Mana Crypt and Mox Diamond
These cards enable explosive opening turns because they require no mana investment, and they're still viable plays later in the game. Although each one has a downside, neither downside is ultimately significant in most games.
- Sol Ring
The EDH classic, Sol Ring is an auto-include in all decks.
- Arbor Elf
This card costs only and interacts well with the optimized land base because it untaps duals.
- Birds of Paradise
This card costs only and helps make highly saturated payments easier in the early game.
- Carpet of Flowers
This card excels in competitive EDH metas, where most players play some form of blue deck. It's a very cheap, very powerful ramp card that only increases in power as the game progresses. It provides the kind of acceleration that control decks desperately hate to fight.
- Deathrite Shaman
This card excels in competitive EDH metas, where most players play fetch lands. Even if I am forced to exile my own fetches, the ramp is worthwhile. The fact that Deathrite Shaman can also shut down graveyard strategies and effects is an added benefit.
- Lotus Cobra
This card is extraordinarily powerful in a deck that plays nine fetch lands and plenty of Exploration effects. It's a favored find with Green Sun's Zenith, and it makes even regular land plays more valuable.
This deck uses powerful and efficient control cards to disrupt opponents and protect its combo.
- Counterspell and Mana Drain
These cards are classic counterspells. They hit every kind of target, and they cost only each. Mana Drain comes with the added benefit of also ramping on the following turn.
- Force of Will, Misdirection, and Pact of Negation
These cards are all free counterspells, and they're extremely important for that reason. Although they all have some kind of downside, they're fantastic for protecting plays that consume all of the deck's resources or for protecting the combo when it goes off.
- Dispel, Flusterstorm, Spell Pierce, and Swan Song
These cards are powerful in counter wars because they're cheap, efficient, and hit opponents' counterspells with ease. Although two of them aren't technically hard counters, it's likely that they'll effectively be hard counters in the situations in which they're needed.
- Arcane Denial, Memory Lapse, and Remand
These cards all come with downsides, but their costs make them cheap and efficient control spells. The tempo shift is often worth the consolation advantage it gives to the opponent.
- Cyclonic Rift
This card helps blow opponents out if they get too far ahead in the game. It can sometimes cause opponents to concede if it resolves in the late game, as there's no time to recover before I combo out.
- Damnation
This card is one of the only creature removal spells in the deck, and it's powerful against heavily creature-oriented strategies (for obvious reasons).
- Nature's Claim
This card is a cheap, efficient solution to early-game advantage generators like Sol Ring and Sylvan Library, and it remains just as effective when used against other threats in the late game. The lifegain it permits is irrelevant overall because this deck wins the game in one turn through combos.
- Stifle
This card is a cheap, efficient solution to ability-based combos, and it can often provide advantage at a critical moment in the game. It also has the advantage of being relatively unanticipated; only a few cards can counter abilities, and very few players use them.
- Venser, Shaper Savant
This card is effective at answering both permanents and spells, and it also serves as a combo piece (see the section below on combos) to help secure the win.
The utility cards support and smooth out the deck's function, allowing it to operate with greater flexibility, resilience, sustainability, consistency, cohesiveness, efficiency, and effectiveness.
- Consecrated Sphinx, Mystic Remora, Necropotence, and Sylvan Library
These cards all provide powerful, persistent card advantage.
- Demonic Tutor, Green Sun's Zenith, Imperial Seal, Intuition, Mystical Teachings, Mystical Tutor, and Vampiric Tutor
These cards are vital to finding combo pieces and other critical cards. Tutors greatly improve the consistency of the deck, and they are indispensible assets.
- Eternal Witness, Yawgmoth's Will, and Snapcaster Mage
These cards allow me to recur or reuse cards from my graveyard as necessary. They're most useful during the combo turn, when they allow for the recasting of Tooth and Nail or a counterspell. However, they can be used as general utility spells as well.
- Lim-Dul's Vault and Sensei's Divining Top
These cards manipulate the topdeck to help set up important plays and filter less relevant cards away from draw range.
- Blue Sun's Zenith
This card is a decent utility spell, especially because it's an instant, but its primary purpose is to serve as a win condition (see the section below on combos).
- Crucible of Worlds
This card allows for the reuse of fetch lands, Strip Mine, and Wasteland in order to generate advantage. It syergizes well with Exploration effects.
- Deathrite Shaman
This card, apart from being an effective ramp creature, is a strong utility creature because it can disrupt reanimator and other recursion effects for little cost.
- Leyline of Anticipation
This card enables a more aggressive control game if it happens to start on the field. It's not the best card to draw into, but it can still be used to fuel Force of Will or Misdirection later in the game.
- Phantasmal Image
This card serves double duty as a combo piece (see the section below on combos) and as a general utility creature, depending on which is most advantageous. Sometimes, it's best saved for the combo. Other times, it's best used to copy a ramp or utility creature.
- Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
This card helps to secure a win by locking opponents out of the combo turn either as an EOT cast or as a Tooth and Nail drop (see the section below on combos).
Win Conditions
Win Conditions
The win conditions in this deck were chosen for their synergy and general usefulness outside of combos. See the section below on combos for more information about these cards.
- Blue Sun's Zenith
This card is the primary win condition because it instantly forces opponents to lose by causing them to draw more cards than are in their libraries. It also functions as a utility spell, which is vital because it means the card isn't necessarily a dead draw before the combo.
- Deadeye Navigator
This card is a powerful combo enabler because it provides ETB abuse without the risk associated with recasting spells (it's harder to counter an ability than it is to counter a spell).
- Palinchron
This card is the go-to infinite mana enabler in EDH. It combos with Deadeye Navigator or Phantasmal Image in this deck.
- Phantasmal Image
This card provides a backup infinite mana combo if Deadeye Navigator is unavailable due to resource constraints or disruption.
- Rune-Scarred Demon
This card is used to tutor for other win conditions, and it can be abused with Deadeye Navigator to tutor the entire deck.
- Tooth and Nail
This card is the primary combo enabler because it assembles two-card combos at once, and the creatures it puts onto the battlefield cannot be countered.
- Venser, Shaper Savant
This card can be repeatedly bounced to remove each opponent's permanents from the board, and it doubles as a general utility creature.
The following cards are commonly used in BUG decks, but they have been excluded from this list for one reason or another.
- Exsanguinate
This card may be a decent finisher, but that's all it really is. It can't be relied upon to be a useful utility spell if it's drawn before it's needed. In order to reduce the number of dead, single-use cards in the deck, this card has been excluded.
- Seedborn Muse and Prophet of Kruphix
These cards are often played because they help generate a good deal of advantage, especially in control decks. However, they are expensive to cast. They've been omitted from this decklist because they aren't practical and often require quite some effort to play and protect.
- Progenitor Mimic
This card is strong in semi-competitive metas, but it doesn't serve a purpose at the competitive level. It's slow, expensive, and awkward to cast and protect. Additionally, it would only be useful for copying utility creatures or opponents' creatures. That's not a strong enough warrant for its inclusion.
- Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and Triskelion
These cards are often played in combo decks because they form a two-card combo that needs no additional support in order to win the game. However, both of these cards are completely useless outside of their one combo, so including them means creating dead draws and reducing the number of viable utility cards in Stage I and Stage II. That's too big a risk.
- Defense of the Heart
This card is sort of like a mini Tooth and Nail, but it's more vulnerable, more obvious, and less reliable. The timing is awkward because getting it to go off and win means having an opponent that controls three or more creatures and having the cards in hand to protect whatever the ability finds (and then win from it). That's a lot of effort and chance, and it's not worthwhile when there are much more effective ways of accomplishing the same task.
The Strategy
General strategy
General Strategy
This deck was built for heavy control and high consistency. It is played most efficiently using a three-stage approach:
- Early game - Ramp, control, set up draw engines
- Mid game - Control, set up utility engines
- Late game - Control, execute combo
These stages are discussed at length in the sections below.
Stage I - Early Game
Stage I - Early Game
- Ramp
- Establish early draw engines
The main point of Stage I is to set up enough advantage to guarantee a steady lead for the coming turns. The extra resources you gather now will be what fuel your countermagic and on-turn plays in Stage II; you will need to maintain tempo and still have the ability to shut down threats.
The first two to three turns should be spent casting ramp spells and mana rocks like Nature's Lore and Mana Crypt to accelerate your mana production. When you can afford to, cast draw engines like Mystic Remora. Setting these up early means you have longer to reap their rewards and aren't spending your mana on them in the midgame when you need to have countermagic up. Green Sun's Zenith can provide additional ramp in this portion of the game.
Stage II - Mid Game
Stage II - Mid Game
- Control the flow of the game
- Cast Damia, Sage of Stone or capitalize on other draw engines
- Tutor for combo pieces
The main point of Stage II is to suppress opponents and dig for your win conditions in preparation for your final turn.
This deck transitions to the mid game when its ramp begins to wind down. Although ramp and control are important elements of both Stage I and Stage II, the emphasis in Stage II is on control and tutoring (or digging with Damia, Sage of Stone) for a win condition. Stage II typically lasts from turn three to turn four or five, depending on the board state and on draws.
Stage III - Late Game
Stage III - Late Game
- Maintain control of boardstate
- Combo off
The main point of Stage III is to win the game. It's that simple.
Stage III begins when you have a win condition in your hand and are at or rapidly approaching the turn during which you will be able to combo off.
Don't begin casting into your combo until you have sufficient resources (mana, counterspells) to play and protect it in one turn. Spreading out combo pieces and putting them into play over several turns leaves the strategy vulnerable to removal and lets your opponent know you're gearing up for the endgame. The combo should be assembled and executed in one turn. At the same time, don't wait too long to go off. Every turn you take means more opportunities for your opponents to break through your control setup and take the game; this deck's resources are vast but they are not unlimited. Use your discretion. The perfect opportunity will not always arise and you will occasionally need to take a calculated risk to win. Just make sure to keep countermagic up and think everything through at least twice and preferably three times before executing the combo.
This deck is typically played in games that use a Partial Paris mulligan with a free first mulligan.
The first and foremost rule when taking mulligans with this deck is that you must not be afraid to take aggressive mulligans. If a card is dead in the first two turns of the game, you probably don't want it in your opening hand. If you see a spell with CMC 3 and no way to play it on turn two, consider pitching it.
Generally speaking, you want to see three or four lands in your opening hand. This gives you security for the first few turns. Ideally, you'll start with fetches or duals of some kind. If you have two or more colorless-only lands, consider pitching some (try to keep at least one) to try for color-producing lands.
Additionally, you want to see at least one ramp artifact or Exploration effect playable on turn one (turn two is acceptable, but not as good). A counterspell or tutor is also a welcome sight.
Always mulligan win conditions and high-CMC utility cards. Remember, you start in Stage I, and your main goal out of the gate is to ramp into a stable lead. Don't let late-game cards tempt you into bad openers.
The Combos
Introduction to the combos
Introduction to the combos
This section will detail the combos and how to use and support them.
Primary enablers:
- Palinchron + Deadeye Navigator (infinite mana)
- Palinchron + Phantasmal Image (infinite mana)
Win conditions:
- Blue Sun's Zenith using infinite mana
- Venser, Shaper Savant + Deadeye Navigator + Palinchron to bounce all permanents I don't control
- Venser, Shaper Savant + Phantasmal Image + Palinchron + Riptide Laboratory to bounce all permanents I don't control
- Crucible of Worlds + Azusa, Lost but Seeking + Strip Mine to wear opponents down through attrition
See the following sections for more detail about the nuances of using these combos.
Preparing to combo
Preparing to Combo
Not counting the setup in Stage II (see the section above on strategy), there are three basic steps to comboing with this deck:
- Step 1: Assess your options. This deck has many subtle nuances that allow you to micromanage your combo to minimize the risk of disruption. Consider the following:
- Opponents' colors and untapped lands, which could indicate possible responses like counterspells or removal spells.
- What permanents you already have on the battlefield (in particular, do you control Snapcaster Mage or Eternal Witness?).
- What cards you have in your hand (in particular, do you have a way to recur Tooth and Nail, a way to tutor a win condition into your hand, Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, Rune-Scarred Demon, Venser, Shaper Savant, Phantasmal Image, Deadeye Navigator, or Palinchron?).
- What cards are in your graveyard (in particular, do you have any tutors or win conditions in your graveyard?)
- Step 2: Plan your combo. How exactly will you play around possible threats (such as countermagic) and execute your win? It's often not as simple as Tooth and Nailing into Deadeye Navigator and Palinchron; you need to actually win the game with your infinite mana. Consider the following:
- What do you need to do to minimize the risk of incoming disruption?
- What will you find with Tooth and Nail?
- How will you find a win condition?
- Step 3: Execute the combo. Hopefully, you properly planned your moves during Step 1 and Step 2. If you find at some point during the combo that you overlooked something and might need to take a different approach, pause whatever move you're currently making and think through your options again. Don't panic.
Using the combo cards
Using the combo cards
The infinite mana combos use the following cards in the specified manners.
- Deadeye Navigator
Use this card to blink Palinchron to produce infinite mana. If you're relying on a creature-based win instead of on Blue Sun's Zenith, blink Deadeye Navigator after the infinite mana combo and repair it with the other creature you need to blink.
- Palinchron
Use this card's ETB ability to untap lands, then blink it repeatedly with Deadeye Navigator or use Phantasmal Image to produce infinite mana. You can also use Palinchron to set up for the combo by providing the land untaps to hardcast the second combo piece.
- Phantasmal Image
Use this card to copy Palinchron, then use its copied activated ability to return it to your hand. Continue to recopy Palinchron to produce infinite mana. You can then recast it to copy Eternal Witness, Snapcaster Mage, or Rune-Scared Demon to enable your win.
The following cards all support the infinite mana combos in one way or another.
- Blue Sun's Zenith
Use this card with infinite mana first to draw your deck. Then cast Rune-Scarred Demon or use another means to draw it again. Cast it on an opponent for X=101. Redraw it and repeat for each opponent until you win.
- Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
Use this card at the end of the pre-combo turn, or put it onto the battlefield with Tooth and Nail in order to make the rest of your turn unanswerable.
- Rune-Scarred Demon
Use this card with Deadeye Navigator and infinite mana to put your entire deck into your hand, then win from there. You can also cast this card prior to the combo in order to find Tooth and Nail (if you're in a situation that demands that you do so).
- Snapcaster Mage
Use this card to recast Tooth and Nail or a tutor spell in order to find a win condition. You can also use it preemptively to guarantee a counterspell in order to better protect your combo. Just don't forget about flashback's replacement effect.
- Yawgmoth's Will
Use this card to recast Tooth and Nail or a tutor spell in order to find a win condition. You can also use it early in the turn to guarantee access to countermagic from your graveyard. Just don't forget about its replacement effect.
- Eternal Witness
Use this card to recast Tooth and Nail or a tutor spell in order to find a win condition. You can also use it to return a counterspell to your hand in order to better protect your combo.
Using Tooth and Nail
Using Tooth and Nail
These are the most common Tooth and Nail picks and when to use them. These pairs are what you'll be putting onto the battlefield with Tooth and Nail (most of the time). Make the necessary fetches depending on what you have in your hand.
- Deadeye Navigator + Palinchron
This is the most basic pair. Find these two when you have a tutor or win condition in your hand already. It's safer to use the Deadeye Navigator combo instead of the Phantasmal Image combo because it's based only on activated abilities rather than on recasting a creature ad nauseam.
- Palinchron + Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
This is a more advanced pair. Find Palinchron and Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir when you already hold either Deadeye Navigator or Phantasmal Image in your hand and need to guarantee that opponents can't interfere with the rest of your combo. Once Tooth and Nail begins resolving, your opponents are locked out of the rest of your turn because there's no point at which they can respond to the Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir. Put Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and Palinchron onto the battlefield using Tooth and Nail, then hardcast your other combo creature.
- Palinchron + Rune-Scarred Demon
This is a more advanced pair. Find Palinchron and Rune-Scarred Demon when you have no tutor options available and no way to recast Tooth and Nail. Put both Palinchron and Rune-Scarred Demon onto the battlefield using Tooth and Nail, then use Rune-Scarred Demon's ability to find Deadeye Navigator or Phantasmal Image to combo off.
Want to Build This Deck?
Understanding the deck
Understanding the deck
Aside from monetary investment (and perhaps the difficulty of finding some of these cards), the largest challenge you'll face when building this deck is understanding all of its subtleties. There are hidden synergies and interactions everywhere, and some of them can only really be learned through experience with the decklist (since I'm not exhaustively listing all of them in this primer). Combo-control tends to be among the hardest archetypes to learn because it's a mix of correct plays and raw deck and format knowledge. I highly suggest playtesting the deck many times before committing to building it. Feel free to ask for clarification on any aspect you don't understand.
Also, keep in mind that this deck has been optimized for a competitive multiplayer environment. If you're playing in a different environment, the deck may need to change. For example, I don't include some of the slower staples like Seedborn Muse because they don't really add much to the deck at the tournament level. A player taking this list into a semicompetitive meta might find such cards useful, though.
Lastly, make sure that you play this deck in a sporting way. Don't take a combo-control deck to a casual pod where players are still learning the format or looking for a different kind of experience. You'll win, but it won't be enjoyable for anyone else.
On a budget?
On a budget?
As you may have guessed, this deck isn't the easiest to build on a budget. You'll run into issues preserving the consistency and power of the list if you have to make too many changes. In general, try to make replacements that maintain the deck's functionality (for example, swap an expensive tutor for a less expensive tutor, or swap a dual land for a less expensive land that taps for the same colors of mana).
A large part of the deck's cost comes from the mana base. I run an optimized land base, and the three ABUR duals and nine fetch lands cost quite a bit. You could cut them to make the deck easier on the wallet, but doing so will reduce the deck's ability to color fix. You'll also reduce the effectiveness of some cards (such as Lotus Cobra) if you lose the fetch lands. Mana Crypt can also go. Try to at least keep the other ramp rocks and the Exploration effects.
For replacements, consider reliable staples like the check lands, pain lands, and filter lands. They aren't as powerful as the ABUR duals and fetches, but they at least provide fast color fixing. You should also include cards like Coalition Relic and Chromatic Lantern to help with fixing and acceleration.
Some of the less efficient tutors (e.g. Diabolic Tutor) cost much less than Imperial Seal and Vampiric Tutor. Substitute these lower-power tutors to maintain some of the deck's functionality while reducing the price tag.
Thankfully, the combos themselves involve relatively inexpensive pieces. You can preserve them if you reconfigure the deck to run on cheaper ramp and utility cards.
Some cards can't be replaced. For example, there's no cheaper version of Azusa, Lost but Seeking. If you cut these cards, think about other ways to strengthen the deck that may not directly correlate to the cards you lost.
Other Information
Possible cuts
Possible cuts
The following cards are being considered for removal from the deck.
- Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Although JTMS is a powerful card and can generate advantage for its investment, its mana cost places it in an awkward position in this deck. CMC 4 cards are somewhat restrictive in that they consume a large amount of mana and leave me with less to protect myself and my strategy. I might move this card out of the mainboard and side it in as necessary.
- Voidslime
The saturated mana cost of this card makes it somewhat difficult to cast. It is an unwelcome sight in the opening hand because it's a dead card for at least two turns (it's unrealistic to leave three mana up until Stage II of the game). It is also difficult to use properly in Stage III of the game because it requires me to leave more mana open outside of my combo. The CMC 1 and 2 counterspells are better suited to protecting combos and other plays.
Possible additions
Possible additions
The following cards are being considered for inclusion in the deck.
- Diabolic Intent
This card is an effective low-cost tutor that allows me to find a combo piece or utility card by sacrificing a utility or ramp creature. This is a small price to pay for the effect.
- Gitaxian Probe
This card allows me to anticipate responses to my combo or to check whether a play is safe. It can be cast for free (the life cost is negligible), and it replaces itself. The downside is that, in a multiplayer game, it may not be powerful enough to justify a slot.
- Muddle the Mixture
This card serves double duty as a counterspell and a tutor, but it is also less efficient in both respects because of this added functionality.
- Pongify/Rapid Hybridization
These cards would help to mitigate the issues posed by the lack of permanent removal spells in the deck. They are cheap, efficient, and without targeting restrictions.
- Toxic Deluge
This card is a cheaper board wipe that hits indestructible creatures and can be used selectively to clear certain ranges of threats.
Event history
Event history
This deck has been entered into only one official Commander tournament. The other events are single-pod matches.
- May 30, 2012: 1st place - Icon's Comics & Games EDH Tournament (pod record 1st/1st/2nd)
- (Date unknown): 1st place - Commander Pod #2, The Days of Knights
- August 05, 2012: 1st place - Commander Pod #7, SCG Open D.C.
Thought Challenges
Scenario #1
Scenario #1
I spent about half an hour creating this game state out of nothing. It's loosely based on some scenarios I've faced before, but I figured I'd give you all a challenge. If you backtrack from the current state, you can actually simulate the previous turns in the game. Don't assume that you can win. I may well have spent this time to construct a devious game state that will force you to think for ten minutes before realizing it can't be won.
It's been a close, but decent game so far. You're in a multiplayer (4-person) pod competing in an SCG side event for some credit. You're up against Arcum Dagsson, Riku of Two Reflections, and Sharuum the Hegemon. The bad news is that all of your opponents are playing blue. The worse news is that you haven't been drawing creatures, and the Riku player likes to punish exposed, fleshy faces because he plays RUG and his creatures have nonzero power. Luckily, you went first and have been getting otherwise decent draws.
Oh, and you're at 4 life.
Your permanents: Mox Diamond, Mana Crypt, Tropical Island, Bayou, Overgrown Tomb, Underground Sea, Exploration, Reflecting Pool, Boseiju, Who Shelters All.
Your hand: Cephalid Coliseum, Flusterstorm, Demonic Tutor, Riptide Laboratory, Mana Vault, Tooth and Nail.
Your graveyard: Dryad Arbor, Windswept Heath, Skyshroud Claim, Polluted Delta, Swan Song, Nature's Claim, Necropotence, Mystical Teachings, Counterspell, Vampiric Tutor.
In exile: Sylvan Library, Leyline of Anticipation, Damnation, Strip Mine.
None of your opponents control any creatures except for the Sharuum player, who Damnationed one turn ago and now controls Sharuum the Hegemon. Arcum has an Island untapped. Riku has Volcanic Island and Breeding Pool untapped. Sharuum has a Plains, Hallowed Fountain, and Underground Sea untapped. All three players have between 2-5 cards in hand.
You suspect that Arcum and Sharuum are approaching combo, and you're at 4 life anyway. It's your first main phase. If you can win, you have to do it this turn.
Explain whether you can win the game this turn (and, if so, give a play-by-play) or not (and, if so, why not).
You can win this scenario, but only if your opponents aren't holding a Commandeer, Twincast, or similar non-counter spell.
- Play Cephalid Coliseum and Riptide Laboratory.
- Cast Tooth and Nail entwined using Boseiju, Who Shelters All.
- Resolve Tooth and Nail, fetching and putting onto the battlefield Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and Palinchron. This will protect the rest of your turn because your opponents can't respond to Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir before it enters the battlefield. Declare the targets for Palinchron's ability to be the six lands that don't cause you to lose life when you activate their mana abilities.
- Float the two mana from your remaining mana sources, then resolve Palinchron's ability.
- Cast and resolve Mana Vault.
- Cast and resolve Demonic Tutor, fetching Deadeye Navigator.
- Cast and resolve Deadeye Navigator.
- Resolve Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability, pairing Deadeye Navigator and Palinchron.
- Initiate the Deadeye Navigator + Palinchron combo.
- Flash back and resolve Mystical Teachings, fetching Snapcaster Mage.
- Cast and resolve Snapcaster Mage. Target Tooth and Nail using Snapcaster Mage's ability.
- Flash back Tooth and Nail and entwine it. Resolve Tooth and Nail, fetching and putting onto the battlefield Rune-Scarred Demon and Venser, Shaper Savant.
- Target with Venser, Shaper Savant's ability any permanent an opponent controls. Then put Rune-Scarred Demon's ability onto the stack.
- Resolve Rune-Scarred Demon's ability, fetching Blue Sun's Zenith.
- Blink Deadeye Navigator.
- Resolve Deadeye Navigator's soulbond ability, pairing Deadeye Navigator and Rune-Scarred Demon.
- Initiate the Deadeye Navigator + Rune-Scarred Demon loop to tutor your entire deck.
- Cast and resolve Blue Sun's Zenith targeting any opponent for x=100.
- Blink Rune-Scarred Demon.
- Resolve Rune-Scarred Demon's ability, tutoring Blue Sun's Zenith.
- Repeat steps #18-20 for the remaining two opponents.
Use Venser, Shaper Savant or Cyclonic Rift as necessary to clear any permanents that could interfere with the Blue Sun's Zenith.
Comments, suggestions, criticisms, and ratings are all welcome!
When recommending cards, please remember that this deck is tournament-oriented and must only contain the most efficient and powerful cards available. Please do not suggest casual or otherwise nonviable cards for inclusion. Also, please keep in mind that the deck is based around a network of synergies; combo-related cards should be useful outside of their combos.
I finally got around to updating the barebones description. I say updating, but it was more of a total overhaul.
This deck now has a worthy primer that will walk you through everything from the card choices to the combos, and it even offers advice on recreating and adapting the deck.
Feel free to explore the new material and offer comments for the deck or primer as you see fit.
This deck is performing well, but I still feel that it should be faster and more consistent. Maybe I'm just greedy.
Speaking of greed, I have a list of cards to acquire.
This deck keeps getting faster and faster. Recent changes:
Cryptic Command
Leyline of Anticipation
Pernicious Deed
Phyrexian Arena
Seedborn Muse
Thran Dynamo
Arcane Denial
Deathrite Shaman
Arbor Elf
Abrupt Decay
Birds of Paradise
I had the opportunity today to play a couple games with this deck, and I also spent a good deal of time speaking with its codesigner. He has opted to drop many of the expensive counterspells and ramp cards in favor of their faster counterparts. He also runs a few mana dorks - a choice with which I don't necessarily agree. However, I more frequently play in multiplayer pods, so I face a higher risk of playing against sweepers.
I cut the filter lands for basics because, after talking with my friend, I realized they weren't always optimal. Running two of each basic allows me to squeeze a few extra uses out of my fetches. I also upgraded the basics into snow-covered basics in case I run into anyone using snow lands any Extraplanar Lens.
Finally, I dropped Survival of the Fittest for Lotus Cobra. I don't run enough creatures for Survival of the Fittest to really do what I need it to do, and Lotus Cobra is stupid with nine fetches, Nature's Lore, Skyshoud Claim, and three Exploration effects.
I'm considering dropping
- Mana Web - It's limited in application, and completely irrelevant in some games.
- Bribery - It's great when it works, but there have been many games where I didn't even cast it.
- Mystic Snake - It has a good interaction with Deadeye Navigator, but I rarely play Deadeye Navigator outside of my combo, and Mystic Snake itself ends up being little more than an expensive counterspell.
- Cryptic Command - Although I like Cryptic Command as a card, it's prohibitively expensive for a deck that wants to ramp and control as much as possible.
- Fact or Fiction - I like the instant-speed card advantage, but I often find the mana cost inconvenient.
- Leyline of Anticipation - I'm on the fence about this one. It's great to have on the field from turn 0, but it's inconvenient to cast if I ever draw it.
In the wake of the RC's horrendous decision to ban Primeval Titan, I have made the following changes to the deck:
- Primeval Titan
- Cabal Coffers (it isn't good enough without Primeval Titan to find it)
- Mindbreak Trap (it hasn't impressed me in the time I've been testing it)
Dropping some of the cards I've come to question for some cards that hold the Promise of Power.
Epochalyptik says... #1
Reset the discussion.
I haven't been watching the spoilers, so let me know if anything good pops up.
March 4, 2015 2:23 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #2
Thank you god for resetting this lol.
So many comments.
I'll try to keep you posted. Looks like there's a command cycle for color pairs.
You are looking at a / command.
March 4, 2015 2:25 p.m.
Indigoindigo says... #3
You mentioned Frontier Siege earlier. Have you given it more consideration?
March 4, 2015 3:51 p.m.
Is the new sidisi a possibility?http://mythicspoiler.com/dtk/cards/sidisiundeadvizier.html
March 7, 2015 7:03 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #5
Pretty sure you've seen Silumgar's Command, seems like too much on the CMC scale for you.
The new Sidisi, Undead Vizier seems decent but you don't really have sacrifice fodder to make her work.
Does Den Protector have a slot? You can't really flicker it but....
That's all that seems like it would be remotely interesting for you.
March 7, 2015 7:12 p.m.
All of those cards are FAR too expensive at what they do. Silumgar's Command costs more than Cryptic Command, which was cut for being too expensive (and color saturated, if I remember right). Sidisi is a 5 mana Diabolic Intent and Den Protector is a 5 mana E-wit.
March 7, 2015 7:15 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #7
@Indigoindigo: I haven't. This deck has been on the back burner for a while, and I haven't been able to play it in a while. Frontier Siege is still a "maybe."
@atgarnett & Ohthenoises: I was moderately interested in the new Sidisi, Undead Vizier when it was first spoiled. I thought of using it like a backup Rune-Scarred Demon that happened to be castable if absolutely necessary. But the cost is still pretty high, and it would need to be recurred with Eternal Witness as part of the combo if I were to need to use it multiple times. I suppose the last concern is less relevant because I'll be able to combo off after one tutor in most cases, but I guess the question then becomes "Is redundancy with Rune-Scarred Demon necessary?" I think the answer is no.
Den Protector is just a more limited and expensive version of Eternal Witness. If I needed more recursion, I'd probably play a blue spell recursion creature or just Regrowth before Den Protector.
Silumgar's Command is just too expensive. It's the problem with Cryptic Command all over again, really.
March 7, 2015 7:36 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #8
Gspot Found you!
Jokes aside, I said pretty much what you did. I told Epoch that I'd try to keep him appraised of spoils that might be relevant.
March 7, 2015 7:42 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #9
Yeah, I'm not terribly impressed with the competitive EDH viability of any of the new cards. At least, not for this deck.
March 7, 2015 7:44 p.m.
Ohthenoises Ha! I remebered you saying that before the comment reset. I was just pointing out the inadequacies of those cards in this deck.
Epochalyptik Backburner for that 5c Hermit druid deck? Or something else?
March 7, 2015 8:16 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #11
I just have other things going on. I haven't actually played Magic in about a year (apart from maybe a game or two), so test-based decisions just aren't a priority for me.
March 7, 2015 8:19 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #12
Memory Lapse is now on the chopping block because of the RC's garbage decision about tuck effects.
March 23, 2015 8:40 p.m.
I am so salty about this, the wanderer player in my group just got a huge boost.
March 23, 2015 8:57 p.m.
_Sinistar_ says... #14
Sucks this is happening, it's gunna hurt some of my edh decks. Now Epochalyptik What are you going to replace it for. My suggestions being one of the counter spells on the maybe board list (they all seem good options) or Diabolic Intent, maybe even Pongify. I really don't like the RCA and some of there disicions man.
March 24, 2015 10:05 p.m.
cosmicteapot says... #15
I'm not so sure if Memory Lapse should be cut from the deck. It is still a cheap, efficient counterspell. From my experience it still does its job even with the new tucking ruling (which is honestly a big pile of shit).
Of course, if you feel that you don't need that many counterpells, Memory Lapse is definitely first in the cutting line.
Also, a quick question which probably has been asked before: what do you think of Chain of Vapor? I just recently added it into my deck for testing purposes, and I'd like to hear your thoughts on it.
March 25, 2015 5:01 p.m.
-KinkyPie- says... #16
I love the deck. I was hoping you could possibly look at my Damia build and tell me what you think? I'm not necessarily on a budget, but I can't go spending $300 on a single card.
March 27, 2015 3:24 a.m.
How often do you use rune-scarred with deadeye? If it's not often you could swap it for the new sidisi to make it quicker
March 27, 2015 7:26 a.m.
ThisIsBullshit says... #18
I think Rune-Scarred Demon is one of the key combo pieces, because he needs to be able to blink it to keep finding Blue Sun's Zenith to deck everybody.
March 27, 2015 12:26 p.m.
Rune Scarred also doesn't rely on having another creature in play. Sidisi is good, but the extra mana for Rune Scarred is worth the exchange for the sac effect
March 27, 2015 12:35 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #20
@cosmicteapot: I'll replace Memory Lapse if something better comes along, but it's just a thought for now.
Chain of Vapor doesn't immediately impress me, but I haven't tested with it. It might be fine as last-ditch combo disruption or something, but it's not extraordinarily valuable for any other reason I can immediately think of.
@magicdai: Rune-Scarred Demon is a critical part of the combo engine. I could feasibly get by with Sidisi, Undead Vizier in some situations, but the latter just doesn't present the same utility.
It's also significant that I don't generally cast Rune-Scarred Demon unless I've already initiated the combo; in almost all other situations, I put it onto the battlefield through Tooth and Nail. Therefore, the cost isn't much cause for concern (although it does certainly limit the card's viability in other situations).
@vishnarg: You can sacrifice Sidisi, Undead Vizier to itself, which is fine if you only need to tutor once and get Blue Sun's Zenith (at which point you'd draw your deck using Blue Sun's Zenith and initiate the combo by using Eternal Witness to recur tutor spells to grab Blue Sun's Zenith), but the option ultimately isn't better than what I currently have.
March 27, 2015 12:57 p.m.
Ah, I forgot about Tooth and Nail. That's a pretty important card.
March 27, 2015 1:25 p.m.
I tried to look, and forgive me if this has been asked before, but what are some Intuition piles that you would often get? I'm slowly making a slightly more budget version of this deck at the moment, and I just added intuition. What do I normally get? 3 combo pieces? 3 counterspells?
March 27, 2015 4:35 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #23
@mrshadow: I have always struggled to give "good" answers to the Intuition question because the card is so flexible. I suppose that if you want an answer based on experience, I should tell you that I often use it to find free counterspells (Force of Will, Misdirection, Pact of Negation). I have sometimes used it to find three tutor spells. You can also find Eternal Witness, Crucible of Worlds, and Volrath's Stronghold if you're going for a slow utility game. Snapcaster Mage, Eternal Witness, and Tooth and Nail is another possibility.
I tend to avoid getting combo pieces because that exposes those pieces to unnecessary risk. It would be better to get cards to set up for your combo instead.
March 27, 2015 6:12 p.m.
Does this deck ever get blown out by Blood Moon? There are only 5 basics and a select few other answers I see. It seems like you might get totally screwed if you get caught off guard by one.
March 27, 2015 6:21 p.m.
bonjarber1 says... #25
Have you tried Life from the Loam and/or Crop Rotation? Loam allows for faster strip lock and works nicely with fetchlands + exploration effects. Crop Rotation helps find strip as well as any of the other utility lands and worst case scenario does fixing. Lastly, what are your thoughts on null rod? The artifacts in the deck are meh after the first few turns and can just randomly win vs some decks? Overall awesome list.
March 30, 2015 7:07 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #26
@vishnarg: I've never actually had Blood Moon resolve against me, mostly because I acknowledge that it would blow me out. Part of playing this deck is always trying to have an answer for the few cards that could wreck you.
@bonjarber1: I tested Life from the Loam for a while (in conjunction with Scroll Rack), but it didn't add value to the deck. I never really wanted to cast it.
Crop Rotation isn't appealing because the land sac is an additional cost. It would only really be useful for getting Boseiju, Who Shelters All out on the pre-combo turn. Or maybe for finding Cavern of Souls.
I use the ramp rocks up until and even during my combo (to get it started, anyway), so Null Rod isn't great. Against an artifact-heavy deck it might be alright, but it's definitely not something I'd mainboard.
March 30, 2015 7:34 p.m.
Have you considered Kiora's Follower? I always found this to be an amazing utility/ramp card. Since it can just untap your Mana Crypt, Mana Vault and Grim Monolith, the card could boost your ramp even further.
April 2, 2015 5:15 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #28
The issue that I have with Kiora's Follower is that it's a 2-drop. If it were a 1-drop, it would replace Arbor Elf (and it would also be exponentially more powerful in a vacuum). However, I don't really want to invest two mana (both of which must be colored) in something that has summoning sickness and isn't extraordinarily useful. The ramp effect would be much better if it could be achieved on turn one (such that it would be available on turn two).
Cards in this deck have to be evaluated according to where they fall on the curve because that greatly influences playability in the early game.
April 2, 2015 5:22 p.m.
If I'm not playing the duals are the bounce lands a viable replacement? I was thinking the extra land per turn effects and lotus cobra would negate the risk of getting two for oned. Also what are your opinions on Lion's Eye Diamond, Somberwald Sage, Alchemist's Refuge and Winding Canyons? I feel like I need more ramp as I'm only dropping Damia turn 4-6 on average with your list minus Mana Crypt, Duallands, FoW and Mana Drain.
April 3, 2015 11:31 a.m.
No, the two for one of the karoo lands, in addition to the slowing down they do, are what make them inherently terrible in EDH. Definitely stick with shocks, fetches, and I usually use the Glacial Fortress check lands or Adarkar Wastes pain lands as replacements. Your call though.
April 3, 2015 11:36 a.m.
biggestmtgnerd says... #31
Not listed on the primer, annother tooth and nail might be for eternal witness/snapcaster and teferi, then using the second tooth and nail for the two combo pieces.
April 4, 2015 9:19 p.m.
Megalomania says... #32
I wouldn't take a risk like that considering how heavily the deck relies on Tooth and Nail.
April 4, 2015 9:27 p.m.
Mystical Teachings seem like an expensive and selective tutor for a deck like this, any reasoning for this?
Plus, do you have any advice for testing specific cards?
April 4, 2015 9:30 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #34
@Fly927: I would shy away from the bounce lands. Generally speaking, they're bad in competitive metas because you get two-for-oned by common LD like Strip Mine and Wasteland. You don't entirely negate that by playing Exploration effects, even if you do somewhat mitigate it. Also, you want to avoid ETB-tapped lands; tempo is important for this deck.
Lion's Eye Diamond is terrible. People have, in the past, proposed it as a way of getting Damia out and justified the proposition by saying that Damia refills your hand, but the issue is that you have no hand left and you're banking on Damia surviving a turn cycle without protection. It's simply a bad play.
Somberwald Sage is ineffective. It would only be useful for casting Damia or one of the combo creatures, but a summoning-sick three-drop isn't the best acceleration for either, and I rarely cast the combo pieces.
Alchemist's Refuge isn't critical, but you can add it if you're building a lower-level version of the deck. Winding Canyons isn't particularly useful because the creatures can be cast on your turn without the extra ", " investment. It might be alright for EOTing Damia, but that's about it. And even then, you'd still need to have counterspell protection.
@biggestmtgnerd: Although that's a possible approach, it's extremely mana intensive because it requires you to entwine Tooth and Nail twice before you can initiate the combo. For that reason, it's rarely ever relevant.
@NateJH: Mystical Teachings is one of those cards that could be cut if something better or testworthy came along. The instant speed and flashback makes it useful because you can EOT it to find Vampiric Tutor or Mystical Tutor, then get Tooth and Nail, and then use it again after the combo to find Blue Sun's Zenith or Snapcaster Mage. It can also fetch Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, and when Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir is out, it can fetch any creature in the deck.
As for test advice, I guess you'll have to be more specific. Like what do I look for, how do evaluate, what do I cut, or what?
April 4, 2015 10:27 p.m.
biggestmtgnerd says... #35
what about Eternal Witness and Palinchron, which taps the lands so you can cast Tooth and Nail again for teferi and navigator
April 10, 2015 7:19 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #36
Again, it's a possible play, but it doesn't make more sense than the currently-preferred approaches. With your play, Palinchron is sitting on the board without much help. Also, the reason you get Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir is to prevent people from doing anything for the rest of your turn; it doesn't make as much sense to get it after you've assembled the rest of the combo. You'd want it out ASAP.
It's also difficult to discuss these situations because they depend largely on the board state and what you have in hand. There may be a case in which an alternate T&N fetch is more appropriate.
April 10, 2015 9:02 a.m.
I'm quite satisfied with your well reasoned responses to my card suggestions so I'm pulling my trump card Crop Rotation.
April 11, 2015 3:15 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #38
@Fly927: Crop Rotation does have specific applications, but it doesn't really demonstrate its potential in this deck.
The two real fetches here are Boseiju, Who Shelters All and Cavern of Souls because they both help to protect the combo. But because the sacrifice is an additional cost to cast Crop Rotation, and because those lands aren't irreplaceable elements of the game plan, the risk to reward ratio is a bit less favorable than would be optimal.
I see it as more of a meta-response pick than a mainboard inclusion. If it's something that helps you survive a high-control meta, then it's probably worth at least testing. But it doesn't offer enough for me to consider it a general-use card in the 99.
April 11, 2015 3:38 p.m.
Yea i thought it would work amazing with those two cards in particular or for Homeward Path against Merieke Ri Berit and Bribery or to search for Dryad Arbor when you need to sac a creature to stax effects. Is there any way to utilize Cursed Totem and things like Trinisphere to stop or slow down Hermit Druid? Also how about Autumn's Veil?
April 11, 2015 4:32 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #40
Cursed Totem is a bad idea because my combo is based on creatures' activated abilities.
Trinisphere is a possible board option, but I have no testing experience with it.
Autumn's Veil may warrant testing, but I remain skeptical until I see how it performs.
April 11, 2015 4:41 p.m.
I think Green Sun's Zenith has a pitiful amount of targets there may be a better straight to the battlefield tutor.Chord of Calling might prove more useful in this list considering all your low cost dorks and its instant speed capabilities.
April 14, 2015 7:11 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #42
Green Sun's Zenith is far, far cheaper than Chord of Calling. Most of the creatures I'd have out when I cast either would be mana dorks anyway, so the convoke isn't going to provide enough of a boost to offset the extra .
I do sometimes wish that Green Sun's Zenith could find any creature card, but I wouldn't be using it to initiate a combo anyway.
April 14, 2015 7:15 p.m.
ThisIsBullshit says... #43
I got 500th upvote!!!
slinks back into corner
April 16, 2015 11:41 p.m.
You've had Living Wish on your sideboard for a while now, have you thought about the possibility of a wishboard?
Cunning Wish might also be a card worth considering - it means you can run things like Shadow of Doubt / other niche cards without having to make mainboard space for them. The other benefit is that you can run backup pieces to your combos (like Stroke of Genius as a backup for Blue Sun's Zenith, Turnabout as a backup for Palinchron) or gives you access to cards like Snuff Out or Murderous Cut for when you need more removal.
April 16, 2015 11:57 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #45
I can't determine whether Tibbles has been waiting for that.
@enpc: I'm not sure which update has eaten it, but there was a fairly developed discussion of wishboards earlier in the deck's history. I really haven't given any further thought to it, though. I'm no longer actively developing this deck.
I like the potential that the wishes have in expanding the deck's flexibility, but I don't really know what I would drop to run them (probably Mystical Tutor and Memory Lapse; I don't remember whether I already dropped Jace, the Mind Sculptor and Voidslime). I also don't have the opportunity to test them.
April 19, 2015 1:02 p.m.
ThisIsBullshit says... #46
No comment.
April 19, 2015 1:49 p.m.
DarkAnthem says... #47
just a thought - also sorry for the stupid post on Chromat - if you have infinite mana up for blinking anyway why wouldnt you run Wall of Blossoms, Elvish Visionary, Baleful Strix or a combination of the three+ over Rune-Scarred Demon to dig up USZ - I really dont see the point of spending 7 mana for no reason (even if you have inf)
April 27, 2015 2:06 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #48
Rune-Scarred Demon allows me to tutor regardless of whether I have infinite mana or not. I sometimes pick Palinchron and Rune-Scarred Demon, find Deadeye Navigator, and combo out. I can't do that with a regular draw effect.
April 27, 2015 7:02 a.m.
I was wondering how Lotus Petal compares with Grim Monolith.
May 4, 2015 3:35 a.m.
Silverf1sh says... #51
I've been running a deck a lot like this, and have been pondering the spot for Memory Lapse and whether I should replace it with Delay. In your opinion, why does Lapse make the cut Above the other? Is it just personal choice, or is the shift in difference big enough to make it understandable?
May 16, 2015 12:22 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #52
@wtfmidun: I haven't tested Lotus Petal in this deck, so I'm not sure how it stacks up. I'll add it to the maybeboard.
@EDHLOVE: Capsize was cut from this deck a long time ago. It's inefficient as a regular spell, and I don't like running win conditions that can't function on their own if I need them to.
@Silverf1sh: Memory Lapse's main advantage was that it could prevent an immediate commander recast, but that's no longer true as of the rules change earlier this year.
As for whether it's now better than Delay, the answer is situational. Memory Lapse is good against expensive spells because it forces the caster to pay for the spell again. It also screws the opponent's next draw because they're just getting something that they used to have. Delay is better if you need to keep something off the field for a few turns so you can combo out or at least establish greater advantage. Your choice between them should be informed by your meta and needs.
I'm currently looking to cut Memory Lapse if I need space for other cards.
May 16, 2015 6:38 p.m.
Have you gotten around to testing Frontier Siege? It's pulled some serious weight in my stax deck. Albeit my deck runs Contamination effects, and that might be making it feel stronger than it may be.
May 16, 2015 7:45 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #54
I haven't tested it yet. I don't know if I ever will; I don't play anymore. I keep this list up as a community reference and to promote discussion about BUG combo-control in general. I'm more of a theorist than a player at this point.
May 16, 2015 7:47 p.m.
This is the link to the deck i am currently building. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/bug-edh-control/ (when i started building it i got yourand this one screwed up when i started proxying. But it is based off of yours i know you dont critique decks but i just wanted to know which cards would be better left out to allow switching between pod and 1v1. I usually play 1v1 against esper. And the deck is mostly proxied as i am buying the deck card by card
May 21, 2015 6:54 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #56
That's a link to someone else's deck. I don't know if you intended to do that.
May 21, 2015 7:55 p.m.
Maybe consider Negate over Memory Lapse or Vendilion Clique. It's really fun to take away a combo piece that you know they are holding.
Heck, if its no holds barred, nobody has ever mentioned the total advantage you get with the card Telepathy. Maybe they have... idk?
The Diabolic Intent has been trying to make it's way into your deck for a long while. If you don't mind changing color. I'm sure you have already considered these cards, but its always fun to hear your reasoning.
May 25, 2015 9:22 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #58
Negate is certainly a possibility, but it would be a meta call, I think. If you're up against lots of creature-based decks (e.g., Animar, Hermit Druid) or cheat-into-play decks (e.g., Zur, Sharuum), then it's pretty bad.
There have been various other counterspells printed in Khans block that I haven't fully assessed, but I suspect it'll just be more balancing the shortcomings and picking what's tailored to the meta.
Telepathy never really struck me as great in competitive EDH. There's certainly something to be said for that kind of advantage, but it costs you a card and you still need to play around what they could possibly get, not just what they have. You end up being in about the same position; if you're playing properly, then you're prepared for almost anything your opponents could have. All Telepathy does is remove some doubt; it doesn't usually change how you play all that much.
It's been so long since I played this deck that I'm not sure I ever will test many of the cards in the maybeboard. I guess at this point that's something I'll leave to anyone building the deck.
May 25, 2015 9:41 p.m.
The other thing is that Telepathy pulls a stupid amount of hate. People don't like playing with their hands revealed, especially in combo heavy metas. And they will punish you for running the card.
May 25, 2015 9:44 p.m.
The-Xellos says... #60
What do you usually name with Cavern of Souls? Is it the same every time or does it depend?
May 26, 2015 12:06 p.m.
The-Xellos says... #61
I was finally able to complete this deck (minus Imperial Seal, maybe in a couple of months I'll get one). I know that this isn't a easy deck that you can just play so I did a little testing last night. Getting land out is a complete joke. 3 games by turn 3 I have like 6-7 lands out with my commander out to refresh my hand the next turn. 2 of those I was able to combo out, but the third game I thought was the best. Turn 4 had the following out Commander, Crucible of Worlds, Burgeoning, Exploration, and Azusa, Lost but Seeking. With 2 fetches in the graveyard. Turn 5 drew Intuition, was thinking okay what to pull and how can I get the combo going, then I smiled and laughed pick another fetch, Strip Mine, and Wasteland. Granted I couldn't combo out, but on each of my turns I could destroy 4 lands. Once all lands were destroyed I could fetch the rest of mine, attack with commander and wait for combo. Plus I had like 4 counters in my hand.
June 1, 2015 9:37 a.m.
Well, I went ahead - and against my better judgement - did a few rounds of playtesting. I constantly ran into a problem. Out of the five times I play-tested it into a "resonable" kill or combo finish, I got Azsua twice, once she netted me a grand total of one extra land drop, and the other time I got four extra land drops.
Consider replacing with Urban Evolution; or just Explore. I find Azusa to normally not be worth it in decks that run less then 40 lands. And when you're cutting your land count down with Fetches (though the effect is minimal) she becomes even less useful.
Now, this is just through observation of the Tappedout testing enginge, and maybe your actual real world results have varied.
Just my 2.c.
June 2, 2015 11:56 a.m.
The-Xellos says... #63
@Joz I know what you mean about Azusa, Lost but Seeking, same goes for counterspells. Some tests I had like 6 of them in starting hand. I think where she shines is when you have Damia, Sage of Stone out with 1-2 cards in your hand. Next turn drawing 5-6 cards there is a good chance to get 2+ lands in that draw. She is just another means to play more then 1 land a turn. She is good at the start of the game but towards the end not so much, but at least you can use her as a blocker. This deck is so crazy on what you can do and what I wrote might not even be why Epochalyptik included her in the deck.
June 2, 2015 12:39 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #64
Although it's true that Azusa, Lost but Seeking becomes less effective in decks that run fewer lands, the aggressive ramp package is what allows this deck to accelerate as hard as it does. Azusa becomes an all-star with either Crucible of Worlds or Damia out, and it's not outrageously expensive to cast.
In contrast, Urban Evolution is pretty high on the curve, and it's slow overall. Explore is an ok card, but I don't think it generates enough advantage.
My paper testing generally proves Azusa to be useful; the TappedOut tester can be finicky at times.
I definitely appreciate the testing, though! If you have any other observations, let me know.
June 2, 2015 1 p.m.
Other then suggesting High Market, and/or Bojuka Bog, I've got nothing. I'm a casual battlecruiser player; and competitive things make my skin blister ;D
June 2, 2015 2:20 p.m.
I have been using Rites of Refusal as a counterspell and it works very well. Most of the time discarding one card works, sometimes two, never had to go three.
June 7, 2015 5:18 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #67
@Joz: High Market doesn't offer a ton to the deck. It's a card that's only really useful for beating theft and exile effects, and I would need to have it out already in order to counteract those threats. Because it doesn't tap for color, and because those threats are uncommon and easily mitigated by countermagic, I don't think it's necessary to include High Market.
Same for Bojuka Bog. The fact that it enters tapped is a detriment. Combined with the fact that it can't be fetched, this means that it's a dangerous choice to include in a competitive environment. The loss in tempo isn't really worth a sorcery-speed, tempo-eating solution to the limited number of graveyard strategies (of which there are few that countermagic doesn't address).
@EDHLOVE: Rites of Refusal isn't something I want to include. It's in the same vein as Forbid. Given that you have to both discard and pay , it's a risky play that doesn't offer enough advantage for its investment.
June 7, 2015 7:54 p.m.
After play-testing Frontier Siege I can say there is absolutely nothing anyone can say or do that will make me remove it from the deck. The longer the game drags out the more value u get from it, the card is amazing.
Also, Palinchron is terrible and I've removed it.
June 9, 2015 2:08 a.m.
lordoftheshadows says... #69
Fly927 Palinchron is the win condition of this deck. You do realize you aren't attacking with him just using him to get infinite mana with Deadeye Navigator or Phantasmal Image.
June 9, 2015 7:24 a.m.
Fly927: I suggest reading the primer. It's a great way to understand the deck and to understand that Palinchron is extremely important to this deck, without it the chances of you winning is almost none, because this is competitive edh.
June 9, 2015 8:30 a.m.
Part of me wonders if there was a hint of sarcasm to said comment. Palinchron + Deadeye Navigator has to be one of the most well known infinite mana combos in the format. At least I'm hoping it was sarcasm....
June 9, 2015 9:10 a.m.
FAMOUSWATERMELON says... #72
June 9, 2015 11:59 a.m.
PutridLeech says... #73
Have you considered Disrupt?
June 20, 2015 3:07 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #74
The only real advantage to Disrupt is the cantrip. Granted, that's a strong advantage, and even Force Spike can win a counter war now and then, but Spell Pierce and hard counters are better at being counterspells. If you can tie up your opponent's , you're basically forcing him or her to spend another counterspell's worth of mana.
That said, though, I encourage those who play a variant of this deck to test Disrupt for themselves.
June 20, 2015 7:49 p.m.
Was wondering why Worldly Tutor isn't on your radar?
June 22, 2015 3:20 p.m.
MTGMachine says... #76
Have you considered running Mikaeus, the Unhallowed+Triskelion as an alternate Tooth and Nail target if one of your other win cons are in your graveyard?
June 22, 2015 7:06 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #77
@EDHLOVE: I generally prefer the more flexible tutors because I'm typically looking for noncreature cards, but I suppose Worldly Tutor warrants testing in the deck (for those who run a variant, anyway; I don't play anymore).
@MTGMachine: That's covered in the primer, but, to summarize here, those cards only really function in conjunction with one another. Outside of their singular combo, they don't offer very much to the deck, they're expensive, and they're dead draws. I would first try to incorporate an alternate win con that at least shares pieces with the deck's current combos, as that would better improve the deck's flexibility and resilience.
June 22, 2015 7:49 p.m.
The-Xellos says... #78
What do you think of the new origins card "alhammarret's archive", "If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead. If you would draw a card except the first one you draw in each of your draw steps, draw two cards instead."
June 26, 2015 10 a.m.
Epochalyptik says... #79
It's very expensive, and it doesn't really do much for me, to be honest. It's only really functional if I have my general or Sylvan Library out, which means it's plus the cost of either of those cards.
CMC 5 is a pretty awkward spot on the curve for a combo control deck. It limits you to the midgame because you won't have that much on turn one or turn two (most of the time), and you'd need to invest a majority of your resources to cast it, meaning there's little left over for countermagic or acceleration. Given that it doesn't do anything on its own, this is an unwise investment.
June 26, 2015 12:08 p.m.
The-Xellos says... #80
@ Epochalyptik, you know what I just re-read it and thought it was anytime you draw a card besides the first one, but now i see that you can only use it on your turn. I was thinking Consecrated Sphinx with this card. I forgot about Sylvan Library, that is just crazy card draw. I do see were you are coming from with the mana cost. I thought it was cheaper, I didn't pay too much attention to the cost just the ability. If something was made with just the second ability, what do you think would be a good cost to be considered to be put into the deck or would it still not be cosidered.
June 26, 2015 12:44 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #81
It functions on all turns, meaning that it functions with Consecrated Sphinx as well, but it's still just very expensive.
As for what would be an acceptable cost, I'm not sure. It all depends on the design of the card itself: colors, cost, effect, etc. This particular effect isn't super valuable, though, because it merely enhances one of a very small number of other cards. It serves no function on its own.
June 26, 2015 12:48 p.m.
The-Xellos says... #82
What do you think of this card? Stinks that it is a sorcery and it is a chance card. Spell Mastery shouldn't be that hard to get though
June 30, 2015 11:28 a.m.
Leopleradon says... #83
Why don't you run Nephalia Drownyard to have another way to win with palinchron deadeye combo?
July 3, 2015 2:40 p.m.
That's not a guaranteed win (Eldrazi). Besides it's not useful in any other situation.
July 3, 2015 11:11 p.m.
Antonius_Cleus says... #85
What about Damnable Pact? It is a decent draw card if you need to draw, and it can be used as a kill spell with the Deadeye Navigator + Palinchron combo
July 5, 2015 4:16 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #86
@The-Xellos: This deck won't include it. Sorcery speed severely limits Animist's Awakening's potential, and the ROI of its effect is very low when you account for the chance inherent in its design.
@Leopleradon: Mill is an unreliable win condition in EDH, and Nephalia Drownyard means I'd need to run another land that can't produce colored mana. It doesn't really do anything necessary for the deck's success.
@Antonius_Cleus: As a sorcery that doesn't make itself reusable (compared to the instant speed and reshuffle effect of Blue Sun's Zenith), Damnable Pact comes up pretty short on value. It doesn't do anything that isn't already done more effectively and efficiently by other cards in the deck.


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|Reviews for Interwoven
| Matkurja chapter 170 . 3/13
I love this story! One of your best! Thank you! Such beautiful love!
| life2Bcontinued chapter 170 . 2/3/2012
Really? I mean this in the nicest possible way but you suck! i read this story on a block of night shifts doing the worst possible job to read this story along side, i knew i should have stuck to my book over the night shifts but for some strange reason like the idiot i am i thought this story would make lighter reading! but for the record this really was a well written story, even the last chapter.x
| murfonso chapter 170 . 7/31/2011
Well like everyone elso on hear i am in buckets, I have also been putting off reading the last few chapters as I knew what was coming. I think you have written a beautiful love story here and is definitely my favourite. Just a suggestion as I am greedy how about a follow up interwoven the missing years, maybe tell us what Joey and Charlie did on their travels on the boat, like I said just being greedy. Keep up the fantastic work xx
| kazintaz chapter 170 . 7/13/2011
Ditto to what everyone else has been saying. I had the pleasure/displeasure of reading this last chapter on the 3rd anniversary of losing my beautiful partner Lisa to cancer. I cried for Charlie, I cried for Joey, I cried for Lisa, I cried for myself, I just cried. It was an amazing story, full of all the hopes and dreams of us all. Keep up the fantastic work and relish with the thoughts of how much your writing touches us all, even if we don't always review as often as we should.
| CCCRAP chapter 170 . 7/13/2011
Glad I read this in bed, and no one could see me cry! Great sad ending, but it was the only way really! THis was truly one of the best epic stories on here! Thank you xx
| Born2Try chapter 170 . 7/13/2011
Well I cried buckets and had to keep taking breaks to get my strength back and also to wipe away all the tears. You have done an amazing job with this fic and I due time I will re-read it all. Thank you so much and the ending was just perfect.
| CJ4Eva chapter 170 . 7/13/2011
OMG! I had to steel myself for this final chapter, and even as i write this review, tears are flowing. This fic has been so well written. IJKS, you have a gift, your writing is phenomenal. Despite not having reviewed each and every chapter, i have continued to read this fic in the eager anticipation of seeing CJ united and riding the rollercoaster of life. You have given them a truly remarkable, and sad send off. But you have done them justice too. The H&A writers have nothing on you. You truly are an inspirational writer. Thankyou for this fic.
It truly has been a pleasure to read. ;)
| luckdog chapter 170 . 7/13/2011
Definitely needed tissue! Even though it was so sad it was beautifully written 0) Joey just couldn't live without her Charlie. Thank you for writing such a wonderful story 0)
| kochy-girl chapter 170 . 7/12/2011
fantastic ending to a fantastic story. Loved how you had them go almost together. i hated it when joey left and didnt come back in the show all because of stupid people thinking it corrupts young minds.
| funkyshaz57 chapter 170 . 7/12/2011
I'm surprised I can see the screen to write a review with the amount of tears falling. This was amazingly written and if you wanted to make us cry I don't see how there can be a dry eye in the house. IT was beautifully sad..My heart broke and I am still crying now 10 minutes later when I am writing this, I knew it was coming but jesus what a punch to the gut. I have to say I'm happy if that is kinda OK that Joey passed away with Charlie, I guess I felt it was meant to be, that it was right that she go to the next phase of her life with Charlie, A Joey without a Charlie just doesn't seem right especially in this fic!
It was amazing.
The whole fic was brilliant from start to finish, From Birth to Death, I know how much you've put into this and you haven't disappointed! A true Masterpiece. I think though I'm going to be sad all day lol!
| jammydodgers chapter 170 . 7/12/2011
what a chapter, i must admit i going to miss this story (i will probably re-read it all over again and again) just like i do with the rest of your stories. you are a really great writer and with all the hard work & effort you put into them i hope you are proud of yourself.
i have also noticed that you got a new story up so i will go and read that one will indeed leave me in wanting more
| maziemoo chapter 170 . 7/12/2011
U succeed in makin me cry to. Im really going to miss this story. This has been my favourite story of all time. U are such a talented writer and should be very proud of yourself for what u have achieved with all your stories. So thanks for all the time and effort you put in each and everyone of them. And just because I'm going to miss this story so much im going back to the beginning to read it all again.
| Jen82LH chapter 170 . 7/12/2011
I have to admit IJKS, I kept putting off reading this because I really didn't want it to end and I knew how sad I'd be. I must have been crying that loud that my friend came in from the kitchen to see if I was alright. That was just beautiful, I had a feeling you might let Joey go with Charlie and I'm so glad you did, it just wouldn't have been right for one of them to have carried on. Thank you for that beautiful journey you took us on, it really was a brilliantly written story that I feel honoured to have read. Briialint work IJKS. I will miss this story so very much.
| Movie249 chapter 170 . 7/12/2011
As a huge fan of this fic, I feel the readers really have been taken on a journey from start to end. And I know this will sound incredibly lame as the characters aren't real but I feel blessed to have been able to join Charlie and Joey on their life journey and to have been let in on the story of their lives. The fanfic was beautifully written from start to end and it's going to be incredibly hard to say goodbye to. But also I can't help but feel delighted as although the ending made me cry (more than I should probably admit), it was the ending I was always hoping for and did complete justice to the characters. It was perfect. I was scared for them and couldn't imagine how one would have dealt without the other so the fact that they passed away together truly warmed my heart. I don't think the readers could have asked for a better ending. Their love was unbreakable from start to finish and your writing has never been anything but flawless. Congratulations on writing one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read and thank you so much for sharing your talent with us. 170 chapters later and the end was as perfect as the start. RIP Charlie and Joey :') And congratulations again on a truly beautiful fic.
| Blue1927 chapter 170 . 7/12/2011
Amazing chapter, sad yes but possibly the best way this could possibly end. I can't believe that this has been going for the best part of two years. It's been the greatest journey and has covered some heavy topics but they've all been done so sensitively. The way you've captured both their lives while still keeping up with what's happened to the other characters who have been particularly well written in this story is great.
As for the end of this one I can't believe how moving the end was, especially giving the twins to chance to say goodbye and there just being Charlie and Joey at their ends. Fantastic writing and I'll miss this so much. And yeah did just about manage to make me cry and that honestly never happens. Thanks so much for a great read.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kristen Stewart dresses up her shorts with the season's checkered prints and a pair of killer heels.
Summer is upon us and that could only mean one thing: Swimsuit season is finally here.
Caitlyn Jenner is giving thanks for the freedom to be herself on this very special Independence Day.
America's founding fathers would have favorited Chelsea Handler's salute to our freedom in a video of her 'liberated' water ski ride.


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Kimpton Appoints New Marketing Manager of FL Portfolio
Thursday August 29th, 2013 - 9:27AM
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MIAMI—Biby Banna has been hired as the new marketing manager for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants' Florida portfolio. This includes the EPIC Hotel; Surfcomber Miami, South Beach; and Vero Beach Hotel & Spa.
In her new role, Banna will lead marketing and social media initiatives to drive sales, develop packages and promotions and manage social media content, among other duties.
Banna's past experience includes a role as the content and marketing manager at Gustazos Social Media, Inc. Prior hotel experience includes a stint with Sheraton. In 2010, Banna was named sales and marketing coordinator at Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel and Casino. After two years, she transitioned to business development and lead generator at the Sheraton Denver Downtown.
Banna graduated with a Bachelors degree in microbiology from George Washington University. She earned her sales and marketing certification from Sagrado de Corazon University in Puerto Rico.
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Social media… Everyone's doing it. Or are they? At the recent NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, the moderator of one of the sessions asked how many of the hotel executives on the panel were active on social media.
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How did three Danes end up being tortured in Lebanon?
At 15 Omar went to Guantanamo. Here's his story
30 Mar 2009 09:35 GMT
Drop in popularity
"We will study the results closely and ... see why we have ended in this position," he said.
The Republican People's Party, Turkey's secularist main opposition, came second in the poll with 23.2 per cent of the vote, followed by the Nationalist Action Party with 16.1 per cent.
Turkish exports have fallen dramatically since this time last year – down 35 per cent. As factories close, industrial output has plummeted by 21 per cent. The value of the Turkish lira is down 26 per cent. Unemployment in the nation of 71 million people has soared to a four-year-high, at 13.6 per cent. Turkey's budget deficit has soared to $4.4bn.
The drop in the ruling party's popularity comes against a backdrop of record unemployment and a worsening economy in the country.
Erdogan aggressively campaigned across Turkey for weeks, particularly in the southeast, aiming for a win that would bring a shift in a region marred by separatist violence that has weighed heavily on the country's economic and political development.
He had said on Friday that he would consider it a failure if his party received less votes than the 47 per cent it won last year.
The party was unable to win the city of Diyarbakir, the largest city in the Kurdish southeast, and several other key cities, including Izmir.
The secularist opposition also made inroads in Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, and in the capital Ankara.
Economic factors
About 48 million people were eligible to vote in the polls in 81 provinces.
Turkey's once booming economy has been severely hit by the global economic crisis.
Unemployment stands at 13.6 per cent and the economy is expected to go into recession in 2009 after years of unprecedented growth.
The International Monetary Fund and Turkey have been in talks for months on a deal said to be aimed at protecting the $750bn economy from the financial crisis and Erdogan is expected to complete those talks after Sunday's vote.
At least five people were killed and 93 were wounded in election-related violence in the southeast of Turkey, the state news agency Anatolian said on Sunday. Nearly 100 people were injured.
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught, reporting from Istanbul, said there were tensions ahead of the vote, particularly in the southeast, but the fighting was very localised, and not party-related.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
Ruling AK party is ahead of rivals in opinion polls for the forthcoming local elections.
Pro-Kurd politician breaks law and delivers parliament speech in Kurdish.
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Normalised Cuba-US relations could result in a hybrid economic model blending socialism and entrepreneurial spirit.
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City Sports 5th Ave Run Club Launch with Mizuno
- Sports & Fitness
- 390 5th Avenue, New York, NY, 10018
City Sports Gallery Place Birthday Celebration
City Sports
Wednesday, July 31, 2013 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM (EDT)
You are Cordially Invited to attend a City Sports Birthday Celebration!
Event: Workout Wednesday/ City Sports Chinatown Birthday
Where: Workout at Franklin Park, Party and City Sports Chinatown
When: July 31st, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Join us for our weekly Workout Wednesday event with Crunch Fitness, Freshii and the Downtown BID! Crunch will lead the way in an awesome workout and participants will have the opportunity to win raffles and fun giveaways!
After the workout, join us back at City Sports Chinatown for a Birthday Party! You'll enjoy refreshments, raffles, and of course BIRTHDAY CAKE.
Nothing to wear? Don't get stuck in your birthday suit! All birthday party attendees can take advantage of an awesome 15% off purchase discount that night only!
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Gambian pouched rats can sniff out land mines...and they work for bananas.... READ ON
It isn't easy being green... READ ON
There's a lot more to this fox-like dog than their Internet fame. ... READ ON
These creatures walk, swim, or fly in record-setting fashion.... READ ON
With big branch-like gills, lizard-like limbs, and a cute perma-smile, it's hard not to fall in love with the axolotl.... READ ON
Here's the lowdown on everyone's favorite vertically challenged dog. ... READ ON
When asked if Abe had any hobbies, Mary Todd Lincoln said, "Cats."


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The Panther Country 4-H club in Rangely is doing a bake sale at the Christmas Bazaar in Rangely on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Rangely 4-H holds bake sale Sunday…
4-H Cleanup…
Rollin', rollin', rollin' …
4-H Awards: continued from last week
Continued from last week's results:
4-H report and Rangely 4-H Fish Buddies
Prefair feeder show Saturday
The Rangely 4-H Community Council would like to invite all Rio Blanco County 4-H and FFA Livestock members and their families to their second annual Pre-Fair Feeder Show at the Rangely community pens.
Firearm safety for youngsters
RANGELY I Rio Blanco County, CSU Extension and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be offering a free firearm safety course for kids 5 years old and older.
4-H Panther Country meets
RANGELY I The Rangley Panther 4-H Country met at the annex building April 26 and had their monthly meeting with 17 members attending.
4H youth compete at Fruita
Rangely 4-H Panther Country
RANGELY I The Rangely Panther Country 4-H Club met for the second time this year on March 29, 2012, at the Rangely Annex Building with 12 members in attendance.
Rangely 4h council meeting …
4-H members (left to right, front to back) Shauna Lapp, Keihlin Myers, Miley Chism, Kobey Chism, Tristan Hall, Kacie Lapp, Trenton Files, RaeLynn Norman, Samantha Lapp, Paityn Myers, Kaylee Mecham, Elena Cummings, Phalon Osborn, Antionette Dorris, Cheyenne Steele, Caitlyn Ducey, Tessa Slagle and Brittany Babineaux all attended the February 4-H Community Council meeting.