Vigean Graftmage

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Last_Laugh on Marchesa the Black Rose - Sacrifices must be made!

2 weeks ago

Not a bad start, but I do have several suggestions for you. I'll keep things budget friendly and break it down by category.

Finisher: Gray Merchant of Asphodel will end games. With alternate sources of +1+1 counters the lifegain doesn't matter at all. Even with an expensive Marchesa build, this is my #1 go-to finisher.

Alternate +1+1 Counter Sources: Vigean Graftmage is really good here. It comes down before and immediately protects Marchesa and it's 2 free sacs on each player's turn (itself plus 1 other). Sage of Fables likewise immediately protects Marchesa and allows you to abuse any wizard etb/death triggers every turn. Unspeakable Symbol is one you use in response to removal targeting anything without a counter (don't proactively put counters on everyone).

Card Draw: Grim Haruspex is easily your 2nd best draw engine here behind Danny Pink. Liliana's Standard Bearer will draw cards for everything that died the turn Marchesa returns it. Plumb the Forbidden helps you dodge non-destroy wraths (instant speed and pseudo dodging counterspells makes this card). Lethal Scheme helps you surprise protect up to 4 creatures without counters without tapping lands and to remove a creature while drawing some cards.

Enchantment Removal: Cards like Solemnity and Rest in Peace are the bane of Marchesa. Don't get caught with your pants down... Chaos Warp, Feed the Swarm, and Canoptek Tomb Sentinel are your only 3 realistic options and ALL 3 deserve spots.

Feel free to check out my list for ideas, I've had her built for about 9 years straight now so if you have any question, shoot. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated (especially Marchesa since it'd be upvote #200 lol). Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

Last_Laugh on Grixis Marchesa, The Black Rose

2 weeks ago

Nice deck, I love me some etb/death trigger abuse Marchesa. I do have some suggestions for you though and I'll break it down by card function.

Finisher:

Gray Merchant of Asphodel's lifegain seems counterproductive but with alternate sources of +1+1 counters your life total doesn't matter. In 9 years of running Marchesa, Gary has ended more games than any other card here and it's not remotely close. I personally recommend a clone suite to sac when he enters so they all reenter as Garys (Phantasmal Image, Flesh Duplicate, and Phyrexian Metamorph). Note that Imperial Recruiter abuse will look up Gary, Clones, and Bloodletter of Aclazotz in one go around the table.

Jokulhaups is a bit of a dick move, but it will end games since all your creatures come back to an empty board.

Alternate +1+1 Counters:

Anduril, Narsil Reforged is on attack and even gets counters on your fresh non-attacking stuff.

Mikaeus, the Unhallowed lets you abuse all your non-humans and he enables some infinite combos with Persist creatures.

Vigean Graftmage looks underwhelming but he comes down before and immediately protects Marchesa and he let's you abuse any etb/death trigger on everyone's turn (itself + 1 other).

Thran Vigil is only on your turn but this card still puts in serious work.

Metallic Mimic doesn't need a tribal deck here. When it first comes down you name humans or wizards to immediately protect Marchesa but you sac it to rename the type to your most abuseable etb/death trigger as needed.

Protection:

Ripples of Potential is a great answer to non-destroy wraths including Farewell.

Removal:

Canoptek Tomb Sentinel will hit anything non-land but most importantly it's an abuseable effect that hits enchantments.

Feel free to check out my list for ideas. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated (especially since it'd be upvote #200). Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

Last_Laugh on Marchesa, the Black Rose

2 weeks ago

This is a good start, but I have several suggestions for you. I'll keep things budget friendly, break it down by card function, and if you'd like I can help suggest some cuts too.

Enchantment Removal: So you don't get caught with your pants down against effects like Solemnity/Rest in Peace. Feed the Swarm, Chaos Warp, and Canoptek Tomb Sentinel all deserve spots.

Alternate +1+1 Counter Sources: Sage of Fables/Vigean Graftmage come down before and immediately protect Marchesa. Sage let's you abuse any other wizard etb/death triggers every turn and Vigean allows you to abuse any 1 etb/death trigger (itself plus 1 other). Spark Double either copies Marchesa so they protect your board better and give double Dethrone triggers or it copies your best etb/death trigger every turn. Thran Vigil only works on your turn but works wonders here. Anduril, Narsil Reforged/Metallic Mimic are also great options but aren't as budget friendly (just sac Mimic to rename a creature type to whatever is most abuseable the time).

Card Draw: Danny Pink is a little more expensive but is absolutely nuts here. Lethal Scheme is card draw and surprise protection for anything without counters. Plumb the Forbidden in response to most non-destroy wraths will win games.

Feel free to check out my list for ideas. I run the same etb/death trigger abuse strat and have had Marchesa built for about 9 years now so if you have any questions, shoot. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated (especially since it'd be upvote #200!). Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

Last_Laugh on Marchesa, the Black Rose

2 months ago

I have several suggestions for you. I'll keep things budget friendly and if you're picking up what I'm putting down, I can also help suggest some cuts.

First off is enchantment removal. There's hardly any options in th5ese colors but I recommend running all 3 so problematic enchantments like Solemnity or Rest in Peace don't wreck your day. Chaos Warp, Feed the Swarm, and Canoptek Tomb Sentinel are all budget friendly and worth their weight in gold here. Another good boardwipe here is Last One Standing.

I don't really do theft in my Marchesa list, but Gisa, Glorious Resurrector is the exception and holy crap does she put in some dirty work.

Next is card draw. Liliana's Standard Bearer, Lethal Scheme, Plumb the Forbidden, and Sage of Fables are all good budget options here. Sage will also come down before Marchesa and immediately give her or any other wizards you run a +1+1 counter. Plumb in response to boardwipes or right before your turn will refill your grip (instant speed and pseudo dodging counterspells makes this card). Also, Danny Pink's price has been sloooowly climbing but it's a very real possibility you'll find one in your LGS dollar binder and omg is this thing absolutely nuts!

On the subject of alternate sources of +1+1 counters... Thran Vigil only works on your turn but it'll get new counters on anything you stole and sac'ed on your turn. Vigean Graftmage let's you sac 2 creatures on everyone's turn (itself + whatever) to abuse etb/death triggers like Gray Merchant of Asphodel or even Grim Haruspex card draw. Spark Double I guess falls into this category and copies either Marchesa for double Dethrone or whatever your meanest etb/death trigger is at the time.

I'm also guessing Rakdos Locket was supposed to be Rakdos Signet.

Feel free to check out my list for ideas. It's far from budget friendly overall but I run everything I recommended. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated. Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

Last_Laugh on Marchesa's Undying Sac

4 months ago

Alternate sources of +1+1 counters enables you to sacrifice the same creatures on everyone's turn instead of once per round and being less reliant on attacking to get those counters is HUGE here. I run all these personally (except Drana, which got dropped for the sword).

Unspeakable Symbol gets used in response to removal or to abuse an etb/death trigger. Don't proactively put counters on everyone or you will run out of life quick. This card is quite simply amazing here when used correctly.

Sage of Fables immediately protects Marchesa and any other wizards you have.

Metallic Mimic typically names humans or wizards to protect Marchesa but the creature type can be reset with a simple sac.

Vigean Graftmage looks unassuming but he allows you to abuse any etb/death trigger on everyone's turn and it's 2 free triggers per turn for stuff like Grim Haruspex (itself and 1 other creature).

Mikaeus, the Unhallowed is about as budget friendly as he'll ever be. It's well worth a spot if you splurge on occasion.

Uncivil Unrest is the best card printed for sacrifice Marchesa decks in a loooong time. This thing borderline feels like you're cheating somehow lol.

Anduril, Narsil Reforged if it's in your budget and/or Drana, Liberator of Malakir as a perfectly usable budget alternative. These both allow you to swing at any opponent instead of only attacking the highest life.

Thran Vigil only works on your turn, but it either protects your guys after you sac on your turn or it let's you sac them 1 more time on an opponent's turn.

Feel free to check out my list for inspiration. I've had Marchesa built for about 9 years now and I'm still loving the deck. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated. Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

Last_Laugh on Marchesa Death Loop

6 months ago

Uncivil Unrest, Metallic Mimic, Vigean Graftmage, and Mikaeus, the Unhallowed are all excellent options for etb/death trigger abuse here. Don't sleep on the Graftmage or Mimic. They both come down before and immediately protect Marchesa and in the case of Mimic, it usually names humans or wizards then switches to Zombies the end step before I drop Gary. In the case of Graftmage, it's 2 free sacrifices (itself + 1 more) on every player's turn to abuse anything from Imperial Recruiter to Gary while triggering stuff like Grim Haruspex.

Danny Pink is absolutely gross here. This guy draws cards constantly.

Anduril, Narsil Reforged is an amazing source of initial +1+1 counters the turn something enters and 2x +1+1 counters on everything overcand over adds up fast and ends games.

Feel free to check out my list for ideas. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated. Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

Last_Laugh on Unholy Insurrection

9 months ago

Kardur, Doomscourge gives you an abuseable Disrupt Decorum effect.

Vigean Graftmage/Metallic Mimic both come down before and immediately protect Marchesa and they allow for etb/death abuse.

Plumb the Forbidden I look at as black's version of Heroic Intervention. Instant speed and pseudo dodging counterspells makes this card but the fact you can use it proactively here pushes it over the edge.

Seize the Spotlight is going to draw 3 essentially free 99% of the time. If someone is dumb enough to vote theft, it doesn't target the player or creature so it gets around protection/hexproof/shroud.

Anyways, feel free to check out my list for ideas. It's a little more focused on etb/death trigger abuse but has several similarities. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated. Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

Last_Laugh on Black Rose's Ascension

9 months ago

Vigean Graftmage / Sage of Fables / Metallic Mimic will immediately protect Marchesa and allow etb/death trigger abuse.

Goblin Bombardment is a great sac outlet that only 2 colors can reliably deal with.

I would also run Signets over Unstable Obelisk and Chromatic Lantern. With a 4 drop commander, 3 drop ramp isn't getting you there any sooner. You also have Feed the Swarm in your draw section.

Feel free to check out my list for ideas. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated. Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them