[HIVEMIND] Let’s Build Sarulf, Realm Eater

[kirkusjones]

So, Golgari is my favorite color combo and Fenrir is my favorite mythological figure. I don't have a concrete idea for a direction to take the deck in, so I figured I would consult the sages of Nexus for assistance. I play in a 75%-ish meta, so please keep that in mind when making suggestions. Other than that, I'm open to anything and everything. Let's brew Sarulf, Realm Eater!

[Dunharrow]

Really interesting card, but you need to keep in mind that Sarulf will blow up your permanents a lot. So, I guess Sarulf is like a control voltron card? Instead of board wipes you play instants that put counters on your creature? Like Battlegrowth ?
And removal spells also grow him?

Ancient Animus
Decree of Savagery
Subtle Strike

[Wallycaine]

Sarulf, Realm Eater definitely presents an interesting deckbuilding puzzle. I can see two main directions to take him: One where you try and eschew non-land permanents, or at least non-recursive/sacrifical ones, load Sarulf up, and blow up the world over and over, or one where you try to manipulate the number of counters on him to set board wipes that blow up your opponents stuff, but leave your high cost permanents intact. To me, the second one seems slightly more interesting, though you'll probably want to have some focus on sacrificial options for when you just have to blow Sarulf at 9 anyways. Unfortunately, there's not a ton of ways to manipulate counters in strictly golgari. I found Hex Parasite, Korozda Gorgon, Ooze Flux, and Retribution of the Ancients, all of which have drawbacks, most notably that some of them die to a Sarulf wipe of any size. Grim Poppet would allow you to shrink Sarulf, but only a few times. He is, at least, expensive enough to likely live through the wipe. Yawgmoth, Thran Physician would allow you to sacrifice your board and shrink Sarulf at the same time, though at only 4 CMC he'll likely die to the wipe himself.

Edit: Thinking about it more, you may want to focus on lands somewhat. They're the only things that will reliably live through Sarulf's wipes, so focusing on utility lands and recurring them could be useful. Possibly running something like Life from the Loam to enable you to recur Strip Mine and the like? Selectively blowing up opponent's lands would also provide counters for Sarulf, which is certainly useful.

[Serenade]

You probably want opponents saccing a lot, possibly at end of turn. You could create your own stuff and sac it (Bloodghast and Ophiomancer tokens with Grave Pact shenanigans).

Tribute to the Wild
Liliana's Triumph
Soul Shatter
Vona's Hunger

Those Eldrazi that let you return exiled cards to opponents' GYs...aren't great, but they should have lots of targets.

Mind Raker
Void Attendant
Wasteland Strangler

You probably want to give it hexproof because....I just think this card is going to draw so much hate. Anara, Wolvid Familiar could add some protection and maybe add tribal elements. Maybe you play Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar to punch through?

[kirkusjones]

I was thinking about Eternal Scourge because I love me some Food Chain. Could be fun to pair with Maga, Traitor to Mortals? Would give an alternate way to knock out a player should commander damage get stonewalled. The ability counters from Ikoria are also something I've thought about exploring as a way to protect Samulf...

[darrenhabib]

Forgotten Ancient you can stack the triggers so that you can move counters first then have Sarulf ability fire off. Opponents will be damned if they do, damned if they don't on casting spells.

Effects where all players or opponents sacrifice permanents; Natural Balance, Pox, Smallpox, Pir's Whim, Mire in Misery, Tribute to the Wild.

I agree with @Wallycaine in that you are looking to clear the board of nonland permanents, so you don't want to be committing much yourself. This is where utility lands shine.
You also want to play some various destroy lands like Strip Mine, Wasteland, Dust Bowl, Ghost Quarter, Field of Ruin, Tectonic Edge, so that you can put +1/+1 counter on Sarulf.
You could play cards like Ancient Greenwarden, Ramunap Excavator to support this idea, but they are permanents so are weak to your own game plan.
This is why I would build around Life from the Loam. You can eventually get a card draw engine going without committing nonland permanents to the board by using cycling lands.
Barren Moor, Blasted Landscape, Desert of the Glorified, Desert of the Indomitable, Polluted Mire, Slippery Karst, Tranquil Thicket.
The idea is that you dredge Life from the Loam and return at least 2 x cycling lands from your graveyard so that you can draw 2 cards a turn. It is quite slow and mana intensive, but is perfect for a deck that is looking not to commit permanents to the board.
You back this up further with Entomb so that you can put Life from the Loam directly into your graveyard.

Then other utility lands Arch of Orazca, Bonders' Enclave, Castle Locthwain, War Room for draw.
Sarulf ability exiles permanents so if you are looking for graveyard recursion it is more tricky. Phyrexian Tower and High Market can be used to sacrifice a creature and then Volrath's Stronghold and Atzal, Cave of Eternity can bring creatures back.

Conqueror's Foothold, Spires of Orazca, Treasure Cove are other transform into land cards that I would play.

[pokken]

Not to rain too hard here but this general just is completely unworkable. It'll become archenemy constantly. There's literally no way to use this effect that doesn't make your general public enemy #1 for the entire table. Your only hope I can think of is to play a ton of sac outlets and reanimate it constantly, then play spell based and land based ways to make your opponents sac stuff (e.g. that land that lets you sac it to make someone sac something or Volrath's Stronghold + Plaguecrafter.

You almost can't play any permanents that you don't want to live in the graveyard in this deck other than lands because your opponents will prevent you from putting the right # of counters on Sarulf, and if you're letting it sit on the board and not regularly using its ability it's just a huge fat beater which is pretty boring.

[Wallycaine]

Forgotten Ancient you can stack the triggers so that you can move counters first then have Sarulf ability fire off. Opponents will be damned if they do, damned if they don't on casting spells.

One minor note I'd make: This trick only works if Sarulf, Realm Eater has a counter on him to begin with. If he's completely empty, the intervening if clause means that the trigger won't go on the stack at all, so even if Forgotten Ancient's ability moves counters onto him, he won't trigger that upkeep. But yes, as long as Sarulf had at least one +1/+1 counter at the beginning of your upkeep, Forgotten Ancient can put as many counters as you want for that particular board wipe. Alternately, if you're planning to wipe for 3 or less, you can have Sarulf's ability go off first, remove everything CMC 3 or less, and then move counters over from Forgotten.

Another potiential avenue to consider, as someone already mentioned with Eternal Scourge, is looking for cards that recur themselves from Exile. Eternal Scourge is the main one that's repeatable, but God-Eternal Bontu and God-Eternal Rhonas will at least put themselves back in the deck for you, and Kaya's Ghostform will let you save 1 creature or planeswalker from Sarulf's appetite.

[chetoos]

Ashaya, Soul of the Wild can save your other creatures, and let you play creatures that help out.

[NZB2323]

Not to rain too hard here but this general just is completely unworkable. It'll become archenemy constantly. There's literally no way to use this effect that doesn't make your general public enemy #1 for the entire table. Your only hope I can think of is to play a ton of sac outlets and reanimate it constantly, then play spell based and land based ways to make your opponents sac stuff (e.g. that land that lets you sac it to make someone sac something or Volrath's Stronghold + Plaguecrafter.

You almost can't play any permanents that you don't want to live in the graveyard in this deck other than lands because your opponents will prevent you from putting the right # of counters on Sarulf, and if you're letting it sit on the board and not regularly using its ability it's just a huge fat beater which is pretty boring.

You can play cards to protect him with Heroic Intervention, Golgari Charm, Veil of Summer, Avoid Fate, and Undying Evil.

The other thing is with green you can ramp to pay the commander tax.

A huge fat beater that deals commander damage doesn't seem that boring.

[Sinis]

I think the best way to play it is land-ramp with high cmc threats. That way your guys will typically be out of reach for Sarulf making it more one-sided.

I think there's a nice synergy with Terastodon, since the Elephants get exiled with even one +1/+1 counter from Sarulf, while Terastodon itself probably won't die (unless you have 8+ counters on Sarulf and just decide to use it).

Rescue from the Underworld Is a cute card here; you can duck a creature out at EOT, then stack RftU trigger with Sarulf on top, let Sarulf's resolve, and then RtfU brings back the guy who dodged plus another guy.

Some cards cheat mana costs and have some threatening potential or utility. The ones that leap to mind are The Great Henge and Ghalta, Primal Hunger.

These are off the top of my head, I'm sure there are others.

[NZB2323]

I think the best way to play it is land-ramp with high cmc threats. That way your guys will typically be out of reach for Sarulf making it more one-sided.

I think there's a nice synergy with Terastodon, since the Elephants get exiled with even one +1/+1 counter from Sarulf, while Terastodon itself probably won't die (unless you have 8+ counters on Sarulf and just decide to use it).

Rescue from the Underworld Is a cute card here; you can duck a creature out at EOT, then stack RftU trigger with Sarulf on top, let Sarulf's resolve, and then RtfU brings back the guy who dodged plus another guy.

Some cards cheat mana costs and have some threatening potential or utility. The ones that leap to mind are The Great Henge and Ghalta, Primal Hunger.

These are off the top of my head, I'm sure there are others.

• Avatar of Woe
• Avatar of might
• Emrakul, the promised end
• Primeval protector
• Tangle Golem
• Sibsig Muckdraggers

[kirkusjones]

Here's what I've got so far:

Creatures
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Yavimaya Elder
Slippery Bogbonder
Eternal Scourge
Ashaya, Soul of the Wild
Timber Protector
Plaguecrafter
God-Eternal Rhonas
God-Eternal Bontu
Terastodon
Eternal Witness
Greenwarden of Murasa
Skullwinder
Dirge Bat
Gemrazer
Sawtusk Demolisher
Migratory Greathorn
Boneyard Lurker

Instants
Entomb
Heroic Intervention
Veil of Summer
Realms Uncharted
Unexpected Fangs
Assassin's Trophy
Rescue from the Underworld

Sorceries
Life from the Loam
Natural Balance
Pir's Whim
Vona's Hunger
Liliana's Triumph

Enchantments
Journey to Eternity // Atzal, Cave of Eternity

Artifacts
The Great Henge

Lands
Volrath's Stronghold
Ghost Quarter
Strip Mine
Barren Moor
Tranquil Thicket
Ash Barrens
Bayou
Overgrown Tomb
Woodland Cemetery
Undergrowth Stadium
Llanowar Wastes
Forest
Swamp

[NZB2323]

Here's what I've got so far:

Enchantments
Journey to Eternity // Atzal, Cave of Eternity

Liliana's Contract and Treacherous Blessing would work well also because you don't care about them being blown up.

[Sinis]

Is this a deck that could play Demonic Pact, or is that just playing with fire?

[Wallycaine]

Is this a deck that could play Demonic Pact, or is that just playing with fire?

Probably playing with fire too much for two little payoff. 2bb Draw 2 is not good enough on it's own, and the other modes are even worse. So to get enough value, you'd have to keep it out for all 3 upkeeps, and then get rid of it on the third turn. That's way too narrow of a window, in my opinion, especially when you'll have the card out and sitting there saying "if you get rid of my Sarulf, I'm screwed!" So yeah, not enough value to be worth the risk, I think.

[kirkusjones]

Forgive my ignorance, but how does Mutate work with Sarulf's ability?

[Sinis]

Forgive my ignorance, but how does Mutate work with Sarulf's ability?

Sarulf will retain all his triggered abilities. So, if you mutate something on top of it (like Gemrazer) the counters will still accrue, but instead on Gemrazer's 4/4 body. The creature will also have reach and trample from Gemrazer's text box.

Honestly, that's not a bad idea, solely on the basis that Sarulf has a 3/3 vanilla body for mutate purposes.

[Ertai Planeswalker]

Just a word of warning: this is the kind of commander that you won't play a lot and thus is not worth the investment. As @pokken already said, you will be public enemy #1 because the rest will have to hate you off the table before they can actually play magic. So either you won't have fun because you get hated out and spend most of game night on your phone, or you can hold your own reliably 3 vs 1 and then people will just not play against the deck anymore. Whatever the outcome, you'll end up playing other decks making this not worth the time and money invested in it.

Same problem Nevinyrral, Urborg Tyrant has. Flavorwise supercool card, but I dread having to play against a functional deck with it. Boardwipe tribal is the closest thing to actual stax that is not stax.

[kirkusjones]

I don't plan on taking this to a random table. I talked with my playgroup already about the idea(s) for the deck and they're fine with it. I get that it may turn out to be unplayable, but the deckbuilding challenge is too interesting to pass up and we allow proxies, so worst comes to worst I wasted printer ink.

On that note, I'm thinking about acquiring both versions of the card and having good wolf/bad wolf versions of the deck. Bad wolf plays Pox, Natural Balance, and friends, good wolf plays more spot removal and uses the wipe as a political tool.