Yarok, the Desecrated - ETB Value, Pod, & Infinite Mana

[cfusionpm]

Played a lot of games with this at Comic Con and remembered that Torpor Orb is a card. With zero ways to get rid of it, the cut Snapcaster has become a Beast Within. Not sure yet if the flexibility of hitting any permanent is more important than split second on Krosan Grip, but we'll see.

[pokken]

Played a lot of games with this at Comic Con and remembered that Torpor Orb is a card. With zero ways to get rid of it, the cut Snapcaster has become a Beast Within. Not sure yet if the flexibility of hitting any permanent is more important than split second on Krosan Grip, but we'll see.

I would definitely run grip. Many decks that wanna play orb will play counterspells. You have a ton of ways of getting rid of other stuff. Orb and RIP are the main things you're gonna want to beast within.

Another option is Thrashing Brontodon or caustic caterpillar work well with your reanimate and creature search options and beat orbs. I would go brontodon personally because it can be found off of the pod effects.

[cfusionpm]

Brontodon it is! I actually got a promo copy from Comic Con yesterday lol.

[cfusionpm]

Update from Comic Con and I am undefeated with Yarok. Most wins include long value trains and buying time and eventually killing the table with a massive Walking Ballista. Plus the value train of doing stuff like Finale for 2 drop. Pod the 2 drop to get E Wit, get back Finale. And all sorts of Neoform/E Wit/Archaromancer/Findbroker chains are awesome. So much value. Might need an actual factual Damnation effect though. Sometimes double/triple Massacre Wurm still isn't enough...

[pokken]

If you need a wrath I'd suggest cyclonic rift as the most obvious one. It's spellseekerable and will usually win the game for you.

I have found wraths to be iffy in EDH if they don't have some huge upside personally. I only play actual damnation in my nearly creatureless deck.

If you must play one, play Toxic deluge. It's cheap and efficient and sometimes you can keep some of your bros alive but sweep the board.

But I'd definitely try Rift first

[RxPhantom]

I'm currently brewing something with Yarok, and I was just going through some random cards to find something randomly good. I think I may have. Thoughts on Demon of Dark Schemes? At first glance, including any card dealing with energy struck me as clunky, but I think there would often be board states that would let this demon shine, and net enough energy to activate the ability at least once, and that seems worth the price of admission, especially if we resurrect a creature with a good ETB.

[ConstantMists]

I'm currently brewing something with Yarok, and I was just going through some random cards to find something randomly good. I think I may have. Thoughts on Demon of Dark Schemes? At first glance, including any card dealing with energy struck me as clunky, but I think there would often be board states that would let this demon shine, and net enough energy to activate the ability at least once, and that seems worth the price of admission, especially if we resurrect a creature with a good ETB.

Basically this is a second Massacre Wurm in the deck. I like it. It might replace the Grave Titan in a 6 drop slot.

[cfusionpm]

I'm currently brewing something with Yarok, and I was just going through some random cards to find something randomly good. I think I may have. Thoughts on Demon of Dark Schemes? At first glance, including any card dealing with energy struck me as clunky, but I think there would often be board states that would let this demon shine, and net enough energy to activate the ability at least once, and that seems worth the price of admission, especially if we resurrect a creature with a good ETB.

Basically this is a second Massacre Wurm in the deck. I like it. It might replace the Grave Titan in a 6 drop slot.

While Grave Titan has been extremely mediocre (I think I only cast him once, and never Pod'd him ever), the issue with Wurm isn't that I need more of that effect, it's that -2/-2, -4/-4, and even -6/-6 sometimes isn't enough, I really like Toxic Deluge though. I keep forgetting that card exists (because I only own 1 copy and it's in a deck I don't play much these days). Paying life isn't an issue if I get some Gray Merchant chains going.

[Kelzam]

I built a very similar list and it exploded and I basically became a raid boss at the table for the duration of the game. The ability to ramp was crazy. After a long while of being archenemy and expending most of my resources, I won my maiden game (Temur Sabertooth + Peregrine Drake and Grey Merchant of Asphodel 2x triggers). In the late game I feel like the deck can really meander without a clear way to close the game. I'm personally going to be making room for Torment of Hailfire and Exsanguinate to have something to do with mana while being low on answers and other plays from being hammered all game by three players 😆

I also added Risen Reef to my build as it's very similar to Coiling Oracle, and having it and Yarok on the battlefield and playing Master of Waves creates an astonishing cascade of triggers and value. 😁

[cfusionpm]

I'm personally going to be making room for Torment of Hailfire and Exsanguinate to have something to do with mana while being low on answers and other plays from being hammered all game by three players 😆

I actually had Exanguinate as my original infinite mana sink, but switched to Walking Ballista because of the multitude of ways to tutor/recur it as a creature.

I also added Risen Reef to my build as it's very similar to Coiling Oracle, and having it and Yarok on the battlefield and playing Master of Waves creates an astonishing cascade of triggers and value. 😁

That actually seems really great! But I have found that, whenever I am searching/Poding/etc for a 3 drop, it is almost always getting Eternal Witness or Spellseeker. While Risen Reef would be another sweet value play, I can't think of a reason I would have it in play unless I drew it naturally.

[RxPhantom]

Ok. I've been brainstorming some more. Lemme start with Woodland Bellower. Looking at your build, there aren't a whole lot of targets, but look at what we've got; Bellower triggers twice, finds maybe Eternal Witness and Reclamation Sage, doubling both of their triggers. Could be fun.

But the real coolness is Sidisi, Undead Vizier. Choose to exploit a single creature, tutor twice. Exploit two creatures, tutor four times! For my first draft, Bellower is a may, but Sidisi feels like an auto-include.

[Guerte]

Ok. I've been brainstorming some more. Lemme start with Woodland Bellower. Looking at your build, there aren't a whole lot of targets, but look at what we've got; Bellower triggers twice, finds maybe Eternal Witness and Reclamation Sage, doubling both of their triggers. Could be fun.

But the real coolness is Sidisi, Undead Vizier. Choose to exploit a single creature, tutor twice. Exploit two creatures, tutor four times! For my first draft, Bellower is a may, but Sidisi feels like an auto-include.

Unfortunately, you will only be able to tutor once per sacrifice. Yarok only doubles triggers when a permanent enters. So it'll trigger Sidisi's Exploit ability twice, but when you sacrifice a creature, you'll only get one search.

[cfusionpm]

Ok. I've been brainstorming some more. Lemme start with Woodland Bellower. Looking at your build, there aren't a whole lot of targets, but look at what we've got; Bellower triggers twice, finds maybe Eternal Witness and Reclamation Sage, doubling both of their triggers. Could be fun.

I am absolutely cutting Grave Titan for Woodland Bellower. Foil copies are like $7 on TCG player and is on its way to me.

Made some other updates in the top post. Notably cutting Woodfall Primus for an Inkwell Leviathan. Dunno what else to put in this slot, but I never found myself ever getting Primus over Terastadon and simply want something else in the 8 slot. Or is it worth getting a 9? Dunno.

[RxPhantom]

But the real coolness is Sidisi, Undead Vizier. Choose to exploit a single creature, tutor twice. Exploit two creatures, tutor four times! For my first draft, Bellower is a may, but Sidisi feels like an auto-include.

Unfortunately, you will only be able to tutor once per sacrifice. Yarok only doubles triggers when a permanent enters. So it'll trigger Sidisi's Exploit ability twice, but when you sacrifice a creature, you'll only get one search.

You know, I thought about this about an hour after I posted it, thinking it may now work how I thought. I wasn't able to edit it in time!

Ok. I've been brainstorming some more. Lemme start with Woodland Bellower. Looking at your build, there aren't a whole lot of targets, but look at what we've got; Bellower triggers twice, finds maybe Eternal Witness and Reclamation Sage, doubling both of their triggers. Could be fun.

I am absolutely cutting Grave Titan for Woodland Bellower. Foil copies are like $7 on TCG player and is on its way to me.

Made some other updates in the top post. Notably cutting Woodfall Primus for an Inkwell Leviathan. Dunno what else to put in this slot, but I never found myself ever getting Primus over Terastadon and simply want something else in the 8 slot. Or is it worth getting a 9? Dunno.

Happy to help! I only wish the bellower could get non-green stuff, but it's still pretty cool in this deck. Why Inkwell Leviathan though? Just an effective beater? What about Myojin of Life's Web? It doesn't have an ETB trigger, but it does allow you to dump a bunch of creatures onto the field to get their triggers. There's not a lot else if you're podding for 9. I'd suggest Artisan of Kozilek if it wasn't a cast trigger. I don't know though, you may need Woodfall Primus to answer something eventually.

[cfusionpm]

Honestly, I think I would remove Inkwell too and just add another blink effect. Preferably one that can be found off of Spellseeker like Essence Flux.

[pokken]

I definitely do not think you need a 9 CMC creature. And Inkwell is hot garbagio.

[Myllior]

The Myojin don't get their divinity counter unless they are cast from hand, so they'd be poor fits for this deck; if the deck really wants a high-powered, high CMC spell, then Tooth and Nail|MRD is probably the way to go.

Other than that, I have to agree with pokken that you don't need any 9 CMC creatures, of which Inkwell Leviathan is one. That being said, I love jamming big cards in my decks sometimes, so if the Leviathan's there to feed your inner Timmy, then more power to you.

[Guerte]

[mention]cfusionpm[/mention], have you thought about using a sac outlet + Lifeline?

I know Lifeline is symmetrical, but you'd get way more value out of it than your opponents. I run it in my Yarok deck, as well as Gonti, and I love it. That alone usually wins me games.

[cfusionpm]

@cfusionpm, have you thought about using a sac outlet + Lifeline?

I know Lifeline is symmetrical, but you'd get way more value out of it than your opponents. I run it in my Yarok deck, as well as Gonti, and I love it. That alone usually wins me games.

I figure this does kind of the same thing as Conjurer's Closet, and doesn't need sac outlet cards. List seems really tight as is and not sure how to fit stuff like Ashnods/Phyrexian altar.
Re Inkwell: it's long gone. As is Primus. I don't think I need more top end and will be adding another blink spell instead... At least until I change my mind again lol.

[Guerte]

@cfusionpm, have you thought about using a sac outlet + Lifeline?

I know Lifeline is symmetrical, but you'd get way more value out of it than your opponents. I run it in my Yarok deck, as well as Gonti, and I love it. That alone usually wins me games.

I figure this does kind of the same thing as Conjurer's Closet, and doesn't need sac outlet cards. List seems really tight as is and not sure how to fit stuff like Ashnods/Phyrexian altar.
Re Inkwell: it's long gone. As is Primus. I don't think I need more top end and will be adding another blink spell instead... At least until I change my mind again lol.

I mean it essentially does the same thing, but for more creatures and on everyone else's turn as well. Maybe it's too cute if you're playing competitively, but I still think it's pretty fun.

[cfusionpm]

Updated visual. Peatland and Bellower came in the mail!

Also, Catacomb/Cemetery/Harbor and Grave/Tomb/Pool lands all moved to foils.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/3919/N9okId.jpg

[cfusionpm]

Long time no update, but a quick swap:
-1 Thrashing Brontodon
+1 Assassin's Trophy

Just more versatile; hits anything and everything. Plus, searchable off Spellseeker.

[RxPhantom]

My Yarok build is slowly coming together. Have you considered Field of the Dead? Seems really easy to get online, and you can split your basics between normal and snow-covered to more easily enable it.

[Slipperygecko]

Blade of Selves in Yarok seems like it'd be nuts. Swing Gonti in a 4-player game and you get 4 triggers!!

[cfusionpm]

Updated list pictured here:

click for full size.

Lots of slow upgrades to foils and promos. Will update the main page at some point.

Main changes including adding a small lands package with Life from the Loam, Tempt with Discovery, Crop Rotation, and Dark Depths/Thespian's Stage and Field of the Dead. May change Crop Rotation for Sylvan Scrying (or just cut something else to add Scying in addition to).

Wanted some additional win cons that weren't necessarily creatures, or were more difficult to interact with than traditional creatures. Also gives additional outs when Torpor Orb effects are in play besides hoping to draw Assassin's Trophy.