Deck Improvement: Meren of Clan Nel Toth with Alex Kessler | The Command Zone 96

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You’ve built a new deck. You’ve played it a few times. Now, how do you identify problem areas and issues to make that leap from version 1.0 to version 2.0? Alex Kessler joins the show to discuss his build of Meren of Clan Nel Toth.
Meren Decklist:
www.archidekt.com/decks/46637...
Where to find Alex online:
/ kesswylie
www.rocketjump.com/podcasts#th...
What we mentioned on The End Step:
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
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[@nharviala]

The timing is hilarious. I'm watching this almost exactly two years after it came out.

[@christianschrader5788]

2018 who’s still watching?🤗 Built a Meren Deck. So much fun. Quick question related to an often overlooked ramp creature: How is Yavimaya Granger not a staple in Meren and Karador? Gets a basic land of any type, and has echo! Wow! No sac outlet required! Sac to helm of possession (or any sac outlet) and then recur with Meren/Karador. Rinse n’ Repeat.

[@zeenthescene]

Meren costs 4, which means you really wanna ramp on turn 1 or 2 to get her out on turn 3. Yavimaya Granger is too slow for competitive Meren decks. If you wanna play slower, I'd even recommend Wood Elves over Yavimaya Granger as you can grab Bayou, Overgrown Tomb, and Dryad Arbor with them. Plus Wood Elves puts it into play untapped.

[@derekwalter4238]

@@peewee130946 I've got a muldrotha deck as well, but I've been on a two-color kick lately and I've been leaning towards golgari. Also it's not exactly the same. Muldrotha gives you access to one of each permanent, while meren gives you only creatures but they come back for free. To me, they're different enough to justify building both.

[@quantumstuntmonkey7293]

It’s been 4 years since this not just the two you hoped for. Keep up the amazing progress and work.

[@serafimb2319]

"if we do this two more years, i'd be very happy to rest" -Jimmy Wong, more than two years ago

[@Magnaboss]

Serafim B Four years for me, but two from you. Crazy how time works.

[@courtneygoode9378]

Spore Frog. let the games begin

[@sierrameeves4781]

Love the interaction between Josh, Jimmy, & the Great Kessler!

[@quak1585]

Meren: [pulls out frog] "come at me bro". Opponent: [attacks guy to her left]. Meren: "That's what I thought".

[@Jeffophone]

The Kingkiller Chronicles are great! I found the quote from Wise Man's Fear about playing a beautiful game highly applicable to Magic and EDH in particular. Really need to get myself a copy of The Slow Regard of Silent Things. Also, I have a Meren deck myself, and this show gave me a _bunch_ of ideas for how to torture my playgroup (moreso than I already am). :P

[@jacobdachauer4377]

Ah my favorite day of the week!!! When the new command zone video comes out!

[@IPL4Y2PWN]

Caught a fresh upload sweet. Love the work guys!

[@andrewtetris9450]

I would also love to have Daretti and Meren in Modern. Manly because of how fun they would be to build around

[@ackerizzle]

wow the sol ring animation intro is super sick guys

[@AdurnaKonungr]

We got a group that plays EDH every weekend so the stuff that gets posted is big help continue the good work.

[@wolfwoodphreak]

Fairy Tail playing without me?! I should've known id be left out lol

[@kenzot2961]

Thanks for the video. Meren is my first commander, and I needed the suggestions. All I need is dictate of erbos

[@Sloan1990]

At 25:25 it seems to me you said something incorrect. If you choose a card with cmc less or equal than your experience counters, you HAVE to reanimate it. You can't put it into your hand. That's the reason I removed Great Oak Guardian from the deck.

[@Splodey]

I'm currently reading The Wheel of Time. It's so good!

[@girarg11]

greetings from 2 years later you made it!!

[@cvau_]

Greetings from another 2 years later 😂

[@josuanachname1914]

Greetings from later than later!

[@hippiehobo1]

I went a different route with my meren deck. Heavy on eldrazi spawn/scions to let me accelerate out and get experience counters at the same time

[@littlenj4nilsson804]

2 more years, In here 4 years later

[@deskgo]

that prediction was on point.

[@andrewlaverghetta715]

This is somewhat helpful for my Izoni, Thousand-Eyed deck, being Golgari, though of course, she doesn't get the same kind of card advantage like Meren's ability.

[@m.g.i2480]

Nim Deathmantle + Grave Titan and Ashnods Altar.... best scenario. Or Worcoil engine or Avenger of Zendikar... or anything that makes tokens... Izonni...

[@Sykdude]

For the Daxos deck, you guys should look at listener's versions of the deck. I'll submit mine for that!

[@mileshiclub2149]

2 YEARS YALL MADE IT!

[@GrayDeath66666]

I like "Tempt With Reflections" I would love to see that in modern.

[@hedonology]

You guys really like Vedalkan Orrery. I find, especially since PartialParis died, I'd rather have Winding Canyons (or Alchemist's Refuge) 90% of the time. Because it adds mana to your pool instead of removing it, and being dead until the mid/late game.

[@CptPhnx]

They actual just celebrated 200 episodes, and it has been 2 more years.

[@dries9088]

Could you tell me if you have changed your decklist after this vids and new sets? if yes, do you have a list from it? kind regards

[@ratslush4130]

2 years later - Good call Jimmy. Good call.

[@maneatinplantguy]

with ashnods altar, nim deathmantel and a creature that brings tokens with them, you can go infinite grave titan for examle sac a zombie and grave titan to ashnods altar, have 4 mana floating and bring him back, it nets you 1+ zombie everytime

[@foffingCh.]

Well it’s two years later. Happy 30 Kess

[@danielmayer38]

With all the Dredge (My Meren deck is the blood artist, grave pact, Mikaeus sort), is there a reason you're not running Kessig Cagebreakers? It's already in the Meren deck and will just win the game.

[@touyang8391]

Strionic Resonator should be an auto-include in any Meren decks. Absolute value card here. Being able to copy meren's ability or copy any creature etb ability is crazy.

[@kbobMTG1983]

100% agree it's in my Meren deck.

[@Erik-mf5zo]

Depends, my build rarely has the free mana for it (I know right, how mana hungry can i be? Pox tends to crap on my lands)

[@bulletproofchunkdion]

Are all those pics in the beginning all cards? And if they are does anyone know which ones?

[@jticonchuk]

what was the tutor elf Kessler mentioned? To answer the question, I would love to be able to play Meren in Modern

[@TeamWildThings]

Fauna Shaman

[@Reeber]

My meren deck has Marchesa in it, and The Reaper King. Also because I missed the pet card thing, mine is Mystic Speculation.

[@coltinyancey3671]

Your not following the rules

[@jacobdachauer4377]

It is ok, as long as everyone in their play group follows the same rules...but no, they are not playing by the standard EDH rules.

[@Reeber]

I don't even... obviously Reaper King is the actual commander, the deck just revolves around the other 2 instead of Reaper King itself.

[@Vrex85]

Got a Maga, Traitor to Mortals deck that could use some work. Love the show, keep up the good work!

[@lupojw6566]

If we do this 2 more years, I'd be very happy to rest -Jimmy wong, 4 years ago

[@tylerthinnes43078]

im currently trying to fix the Daxos pre con deck.

[@NWWADD]

Could you please send me the changes you guy suggested for the deck PTG Deck. The cards removed and your suggested adds.

[@georgezamyatin]

Would sheoldred and vorinclex would be bad fits in these decks ?

[@P.M.Fear13]

Bringing the Geist deck back up that was mentioned back in episode 11 where is it!!

[@tly9]

could you guys do a dralnu lich lord deck

[@MrZerodaim]

Constant Mists is great, but it can backfire very hard. Say you're in a 4-player game. They know you have this so attacking you is pointless, but if they all attack you it's suddenly 3 lands a turn to keep the fog up, and unless you have extra land plays and a crucible of worlds you won't keep up long.

[@codeofzero1]

Is it bad that in my play group where the top 3 pet cards are Armageddon, pod and shrekmore

[@andrewturner7297]

GOD I LOVE SOME WHEEL OF TIME... ALL PPL SHOULD START IT!!!!!!!!

[@Thenarratorofsecrets]

+Andrew Turner but the author dies at the end.

[@Necrow_Productions]

how many cards would I have to take out to get it to 175$?

[@CmdrUD87]

A good and cheap graveyard hate card in this deck would be Agent of Erebos, I guess. Alternatively, Crypt Incursion

[@Ichigo19861]

Viscera Seer one of my pets cards

[@Compnooka]

Hey guys, just thought you'd like to know it's been two more years :)

[@aarona7962]

love these intros lol

[@Kestral287]

Since there was talk about them in the episode, if you really wanted to add an Eldrazi to this, Artisan of Kozilek would be really good. A 10/9 Annihilator 2 that you not only drop into play for free, he brings a friend with him. When Meren gets enough counters on him, Artisan is just the go-to every turn. Need Terastadon? Revive Artisan into him. For a more entertaining take you could use It That Betrays though; Fleshbag with Betrays on the field is beautiful. 12-drop though.

[@luckyskin09]

+Kestral287 you need to cast artisan to get its trigger

[@Lthe1]

smothering abomination and sifter of skulls. also, pawn of ulamog is pretty cool. it's not an eldrazi, but I like to count it as one anyways.

[@otateral]

what's the big win conditions with this deck? I have a budget meren that seems to function just fine but doesn't break through to win.

[@jeanmarais337]

otateral have you found a solution?

[@uUuWolf16uUu]

I use wild pair and stomping the enemies to a pulp with Overrun or Stampede as a finisher. :)

[@satierfoira]

I play a medium-budget meren deck that is quite effective and, from my experience, you want to have the engine going. Sac, reanimate and trigger some good abilities in between. Cards like decree of erebo (ou butcher of malakir as a budget option) to clean the board and some draws (grim haruspex or harvester os souls) get you to a confortable position, then, you can start setting up the win. I have some wincons: Jarad and lord of extinction (deals damage to EACH opponent equal to the number of cards in all graveyards), Reccuring and saccing gray merchant (phyrexian reclamation and sheoldred can help a lot) and stealing BIG creatures from your opponents's graveyars with sepulchral primordial and pupeteer clique.

[@ichbin_ich_ok5574]

otateral I personally run a meren-ramp deck, that wins by reanimating big creatures over and over

[@andrewcrump5954]

in my Meren i have multiple ways such as avenger of zendikar+nim deathmantle+any free sac outlet=infinte tokens or you can run the Mike and Trike combo

[@panicatthedisktray1847]

My buddy surrendered after 5 turns with spore frog on the field lol

[@kokioen]

FYI, the storm list is only for standard

[@DejMills]

hey guys it's been two more years!

[@tylerheckenliable5785]

Any chance the Masters of Modern podcast could make a youtube channel? I really like the animations and card visuals you guys have and would love to see the same for the MoM podcast.

[@KessGames]

We have a KZbin Chanel though we don't update it consistently enough

[@Sykdude]

+Top Decking TV You guys should do that.

[@KessGames]

+Sykdude well we just started a patreon to help accomplish that! So spoon.

[@KessGames]

+Top Decking TV sooon*

[@tylerheckenliable5785]

+Top Decking TV do u have a link to the patreon?

[@wowcrazetheconqueror]

Jarad sac lord of extinction gg :D

[@lightspeedasH]

Song of the Dryads

[@joshrobinson2409]

When I turned 30 I felt great why should I feel bad I still am 30 and will be 31 this year but still I'm still feeling awsome about the thought of being in my 30s, anyway I play meren combo and I'm always the threat at the table at lgs like instantly its so satisfying

[@NicksLotus]

Imagine this commander with shadowborn aposile !

[@one_for_one]

MTG mindslaver there are more efficient options than bouncing with maren for aposiles. That being said, golgari shadowborn would be an interesting deck if you could get it running

[@stratoincendus3869]

The synergy between Golgari Thug and Evolutionary Leap is nice, however I wouldn't judge two cards by how good they are together, since it's unlikely you draw both of them (and I'm not so certain this synergy is worth tutoring for when you could literally get anything else). Evolutionary Leap is definitely also good by itself; Golgari Thug however probably not. ;) Whenever I want this effect, especially when in black anyway, I'd probably rather use Phyrexian Reclamation and/or Palace Siege.

[@Adjacent_2]

after playing a few games with Kessler's list I can easily say Golgari Thug has overperformed without Leap on the battlefield, and with it in on the battlefield it's insane. I had two opponents both compliment me on the power of the synergy between the two. An opponent tried to bojuka bog my yard, I in response sacrificed thug to Leap to put my Grave Titan back on top and protect it from permanent exile.

[@PugLoverSweg]

Its almost been 2 years

[@harrysimmonds4290]

imagine thief of blood and jarad!

[@manuelaguilartirado8674]

Omg, kessler was right about eldrazi mimic, and about the surprise deck he was also correct everyone was specting eldrazi but not red/blue eldrazi....Kessler are you from the future D:?

[@manuelaguilartirado8674]

+Manuel Aguilar Tirado Lol just came back from the Masters of modern podcast , I know why kessler was so close xD

[@KessGames]

Ben gave away all of my secrets -kessler

[@aryndesilva6522]

It’s been two years

[@mando8469]

I still love how lots and lots of people still aren't aware that Jace the MS has a really offensive swear word in his picture lol

[@PagingDrFumbles]

Patrick Rothfuss = Feldon of the Third Path

[@thrillmill6525]

Where's the Dictate of Erebos and Grave Pact? EDIT: I listened to 39:00. My bad.

[@KessGames]

Yep, my bad.

[@drewdude8837]

he is missing merciless excutioner aswell

[@mbalazs3544]

19:09 just for fun and arguments sake and because everyone has different opinion. Black is the strongest color because you can use alternative resources it has Demonic and Vampiric tutor with imperial seal for quick joker cards. Drain live vs fire boll. Draw cards permanents even earlier than blue, make opponent discard, can kill anything and it has the most vengeful minions access to grave. Reanimator is a most strong rush, power its the most potent. (it can even reanimate its artifacts namely Disk oblivion stone) and for mana caball cofer. As for spee dark ritual and if you ware lobotomized by a dark ritual hypnotic specter before or know how it feels well....name anything more painful, well there is hymn to tourach(and alike), as for tokens faerie's are pesky like goblins but just like goblins (bitter blossom) if you toss enough to problem it gets solved or at least lass faerie'. The most powerful magic card is yawgmoth's bargain. The best planeswalkers are black. Black is the color of power. ~ Bottom line is black can do anything that the other colors for a price but profit more of them. As much I hate blue i acknowledge it has the best tick, ancestral recall and cheap draws, time walk time warp, other time magics, and has universal answer like return to hand or counter things. It lack minions well there's thinker and alike to bring out the most powerful magic creatures with colossal bodys to compensate, as for time warp only one panoptic mirror is needed to win the game on the spot and secure it with 0 counterspells like Force of will or pact of negation. Redi is simple and that's it more fun than any other color so put it on the 3th place. The End of all combo can be a fireball. Red burn, goblins. It a color to be aware of. And being on the sending end of a lightning bolt, fire blast or alike just feel better and efficient than anything else. my 4 faw would be white (i would put it next equally to red), cheap solution to all problems cool angels to big bodys an military i can be proud of. Land tax and other trick to even out the adds to one's favor make it more potent in magic than any color for fair fight and win it. But i like unfer fights in my favor so i prefer black and blue more Green is my least favor color for one reason. Besides mana its lack in every way. Its workable and predictable. Icant name 1 green card i respect or call my favorite and ply this game a long time now. Green cards has strength but bottom line is ~ Reiver Demon.

[@ichbin_ich_ok5574]

M Balazs that is a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong comment

[@IBeScrappyDoo2]

Why doesn't anyone talk about Winding Constrictor, it actually doubles the experience counters that Meren gets. Also Saproling Burst that can give 5-6 counters to Meren in one shot or one at a time depending on timing?

[@wldnrkls]

Bc the ramping experience counters just isn't as powerful as having an extra enabler

[@epothos1]

Black is the best overall since juzam djinn to amonkhet

[@spawn10317]

this is my meren deck. I like how it plays and its pretty competitive in my playgroup. tappedout.net/mtg-decks/merens-sac-party/

[@SirKingHoff]

"8 cards more than the others is good, 9 is okay but getting less better" Im sitting here with my half my deck in my hand, korvold at a 99/99

[@TheReadArmy]

Disciple of Bolas > Corpse Augur

[@Adjacent_2]

without a doubt, an all-star in my deck. if you get even 2 cards/2 life out of it it's excellent (can't sac himself, sadly)

[@Frostman1255]

And now we know that the best colors are black and green 😅

[@barrie1636]

Put True-Name Nemesis in modern! That'd be fun

[@MastaPanda]

Karlov in modern.

[@IBeScrappyDoo2]

Why not "Reins of Power" and use her yourself.

[@annabellethorpe2542]

what is the art at 51:46

[@-KillaWatt-]

You guys should do a video on "political" cards in commander.

[@coltinyancey3671]

They are not allowed to take suggestions for legal reasons

[@Leafycoke]

+Coltin Yancey I thought that was specific to their live action segment

[@talbotsolenberger4434]

+orgelekS It is. Coltin is wrong. It's a matter of creating an IP and a story with their KTF series that can get them into trouble. With this suggestion, it's just throwing out a topic of conversation. There's no legal way they can get in trouble by taking suggestions for a topic of a podcast.

[@joshleekwai8895]

+Talbot Solenberger What Talbot said. The difference is that for scripted content we need to own what we produce. You cannot own a topic of discussion so ideas for The Command Zone are perfectly fine to throw out there :-)

[@buechler11]

deathrender

[@thedarklight6752]

my pet card is jhoria

[@asura2545]

First XD love your content

[@72kyzero]

and this is why the new mulligan rule SUCKS. "you need more lands, more ramp, and cut the high drops" WTF the point of edh IS the high drops, is the weird and fun cards that would never get played otherwise. this new mulligan rule is a terrible decision if it forces you to get rid of fun or even usable cards for boring lands or ramp

[@coltinyancey3671]

It's the standard mulligan rule for magic as a whole. Your not so special you get special rules get used to it dude

[@robinrules80]

My house rule is partial paris even in 1v1 commander. The impact of the rule change is mainly for "competitive" rules enforcement

[@72kyzero]

Coltin Yancey why are you acting so high and mighty?

[@72kyzero]

robinrules80 This is true, me and my friends have kept the partial paris but I'm just worried this will spread to even casual commander play (at least when it comes to playing at your local gamestore with new people)

[@MrBenshapiro]

I wanted to be first!

[@bijanashtiani3615]

Over an hour i wasted and learned almost nothing on making this deck, this video need to be more to the point and informational

[@wldnrkls]

It's a podcast/conversation not a deck tech

[@jarridtansey2628]

Why does Alex whisper so much. It’s very frustrating. Doesn’t he realize he’s on a podcast where the hosts have to talk for 100% of the content. And yet here he is whispering.