The Ruinous Powers Upgrade - Improving the Precon Commander Deck with $300

[@jacksons9546]

Only having negate def made me nauseous, but the point about not wanting to cascade into more counterspells was 100% reasonable. I wasn't hot on Abaddon bc I'm not big on cascade and loved Be'lakor's demon tribal, but you've convinced me to give him a spin myself, this is neat stuff. It'll also help me overcome my crippling addiction to running 4+ counterspells lol

[@ich3730]

u can run modal counterspells like the blue confluence. If they get hit with cascade they dont fizzle

[@rolandnavarro5946]

I replaced the negate with Tibalts Trickery. A bad counterspell from the hand for sure BUT when its cascaded you can do some stupid stuff with your own stack, counter something you didn't quite want that was on your cascade chain and search for a better spell. Theres a reason it was banned in modern after only 2 weeks

[@GuysThatMagic]

That's actually a real solid idea.

[@rolandnavarro5946]

@@GuysThatMagic the decklist you made was SOLID! I made a small amount of replacement because of budget. I also thought about whiffing on the negate you recommended but I remembered Tibalts existed. tried it out last night at my LGS, one game I used it as a kinda worse counterspell in a pinch to save my board, but was okay with it since you're solving the problem now, even tho it might sometimes might create a worse one, but hey Chaos Warp is playable right? In 2 other games I used it on my cascade chain and it was amazing. Im thinking of putting Dig Through time, Treasure Cruise, and Temporal Trespass in the deck since you can fill the grave quickly and it gets to cascade for its full CMC

[@neimaddamienjackson9256]

Thank you guys!! Currently making this and it looks so fun!!

[@GuysThatMagic]

Enjoy it!

[@foerender1624]

Blood for the blood god does alot of work in my Abaddon deck , I use cards like Keen duelist and Twilight prophet I kinda lean into the high mana value a bit more.

[@emarmy00]

Great videos! Just got done watching all 4 300$ upgrade videos, can't wait to start!!

[@GuysThatMagic]

Thanks for watching!

[@schnikelfritz5868]

I took blood for the blood god out as well. But in its defense the deck also came with a blasphemous act.

[@punkypinko2965]

I've played my ruinous powers deck a few times now. I think the whole burn strategy is maybe not the best strategy. Also, the whole "benefit from casting cards from exile" too is not the best. I'm working on my own upgrade now which depends on combat damage, so I have mana left over to actually cast my cascade spells. To me, this isn't really a "cascade deck" the way I first imagined. While it would be nice to have cards that give you benefits when you do actually cascade, if you're not cascading because you haven't done enough damage or you don't have the mana after doing damage, then what's the point?

[@ugh276]

I go into alot of the planeswalkers and enchantments that do damage on Upkeep and at the Mainphase, as well as Enchantments/creatures and a few other things that do damage to any Target when you caste from exile or a creature enters the battlefield like terror of the peaks. This works for most the targeted removal. Topper and scroll rack helps and alot of the cheap blue cards like brain storm and ponder to look for what I'll be drawing/Cascading into. Win condition besides getting a beefy board Idk what to go with yet. Was trying to think of a way to go Enter the Infinite, with Omniscience, but that likely won't happen, and I couldn't figure how how to Cascade into it all in one turn. Also just thinking of pumping the damage players are taking in general with the cards that double and triple damage Heartless Hidusgu seems interesting with something like Archgiend of Despair. Do half of everyone's health, than remove remaining health to all opponents. That will something I add.

[@MaxnniProg]

Great include in this deck is mind bomb - 1 island in best case scenario 9 global damage, worst case everyone else has lost card advantage

[@francescoaccomando7781]

it was easier to say what to keep considering that you listed all the cards to be cut

[@SHADOWCLOUDGAMING]

Yes but it's also important to know WHY they were cut not just THAT they were cut.

[@outlaw1323]

I have built this deck and it kicks ass, what would be the next steps to improve it more? I have all fetches and shocks, what would I take out to add these? Also have Demonic Tutor, should I add this too?

[@andygoody2599]

Demonic is auto include.

[@gerardvandongen8095]

to be honest i am not a fan of Heartless Hidetsugu, it also damages us for half our health :/

[@GuysThatMagic]

Hidetsugu hurts us, but we get to decide if or when to pop him. He helps us close the game out fast since he is cleaving everyone’s life total, makes everything in our deck have cascade, and scares your opponents into burning removal on him instead of your commander. Embrace the pain, or don’t, up to you really. -David

[@divinearcadia]

Just put basilisk collar on him 100% profit lol

[@rolandnavarro5946]

Lmfao!!! I just realized the card is worded correctly for that to work!

[@mitchthegreat]

@@GuysThatMagic how does it give every card cascade in your deck?

[@stigmurder99]

@@divinearcadia WHAT

[@LordTreyHowdy]

I'm not convinced about stormfist crusader's value. Abaddon only cares about damage done this turn, so only 1 mana instants are affected, and the only card in the deck that fits that is dark ritual. Edit: I'm an idiot, it only triggers on your upkeep, not everyone's upkeep.

[@dans6080]

I noticed there’s no armour for Abaddon. What do you use to protect him? I bought almost all these cards but have trouble keeping him alive lol

[@williammartin172]

Currently doing this as I won the deck for a commander tournament last night, I was under the impression that if you cascade into something you have the option to pay any additional cost on the card like kicker for example! Wouldn't that mean you could overload off the cascade if you choose to pay the additional cost?

[@GuysThatMagic]

you can pay additional cost like kicker or buyback off cascade, but you can only use one alternative mana cost. Casting the spell for free and overload are both alternate costs and only one can be applied. Hope this helps!

[@badgerinthewood]

Vial smasher doesn't work very well right?

[@davidlandis8778]

Love this deck but I think there's a few too many self ping for my taste. Creatures, mana rocks, pain lands

[@ugh276]

Blasphemous act into Blood for the blood god are both in the Pre Con, and it would cost 2 reds and 2 black and the 8 colorless can be replaced for wiping 8 creatures off the battlefield. Blood also I'd an instant so when your opponent wipes you can likely cast it for 2 black, 1 red.

[@punkypinko2965]

Too bad Kharn doesn't say "the owner draws two cards", then it would be good.

[@Cudcudcudcudcuscuski]

How do you feel about putting obosh in this deck? Abandon is odd converted mana cost

[@FlintyAxe]

So, $300 upgrade for Be’Lakor next?

[@GuysThatMagic]

Sorry! No plans to do that at the moment.

[@StrykerLee]

I'll never take out Great Unclean One, he's won me two games with perfect lethal lol

[@RollieB89]

I want to build this deck and I really like the cards you added to it. But I can't build a deck without the wincon in mind and I can't figure out what is the wincon for this deck. What did you use for the wincon?

[@MsChodezilla]

Straight up dermage my guy

[@LordTreyHowdy]

The deck is full of cards that damage all your opponents and you don't see the wincon?

[@pascalsimioli6777]

​@@LordTreyHowdy oh so it's a burn deck with extra steps. Cool. Riveting.

[@patrickevanroach7498]

instead of Negate run unsubstantiate. Has a lot more utility if you happen to cascade into it.

[@Dinobot-k2x]

I love these balla upgrades, none of this budget shit

[@pascalsimioli6777]

Yeah fuck poor people, my bank account defines my personality

[@davidlandis8778]

If Prosper is out and you top deck profane tutor it will whiff and just remain in exile

[@erubin100]

God, you're basically taking out all the cool warhammer chaos stuff and making the deck generic! This isn't an upgrade, it's a vivisection!

[@phaedrosx]

Improving the deck? No. Ripping the guts out and wearing its skin? Pretty much.

[@Thraximundar268]

A ruinous powers deck without demons? CRINGE

[@GuysThatMagic]

Check out the $100 version!