Rona, Herald of Invasion: Compleat Omniscience

[Hawk]

Rona, Herald of Invasion fascinates me. Our phyrexian fangirl has finally, finally gotten her ultimate wish and can now transform into a uber-charged Phyrexian Obliterator. Don't let your dreams just be memes, ya'll.

What immediately struck me about Rona is that her ability triggers if you can find ways to damage her too, allowing for a sort of Omniscience at will. There's not a ton of ways to do that in UB, and a few of the ways to do it are at cross purposes with one another, but - the strategy seems sound.

In the interim, since our Omniscience plan wants us to go big, and since Rona is a looter with upside on her fronthalf before her dreams come to compleation, Reanimator felt like a fine double-act and Plan B.

Rona: #Girlboss

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

Commander: 1

1 Rona, Herald of Invasion

Pain and Gain: 8

1 Cuombajj Witches

1 Plague Spitter

1 Noxious Field

1 Acorn Catapult

1 Pestilence

1 Thrashing Wumpus

1 Staff of Nin

1 Pestilence Demon

Start Small...: 9

1 Mox Amber

1 Drafna, Founder of Latnam

1 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy

1 The Meathook Massacre

1 The Raven Man

1 Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator

1 Emry, Lurker of the Loch

1 Geth, Thane of Contracts

1 Hammer of Nazahn

Dream BIG: 12

1 The Scarab God

1 Gyruda, Doom of Depths

1 Chromatic Orrery

1 Hullbreaker Horror

1 Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant

1 Sheoldred, Whispering One

1 Toxrill, the Corrosive

1 Archon of Cruelty

1 Razaketh, the Foulblooded

1 Vilis, Broker of Blood

1 Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur

1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth

Pick Yourself Up: 11

1 Careful Study

1 Entomb

1 Reanimate

1 Animate Dead

1 Exhume

1 Stitch Together

1 Frantic Search

1 Necromancy

1 Victimize

1 Dread Return

1 Ever After

Climb the Phyrexia Ladder: 11

1 Mana Crypt

1 Dark Ritual

1 Sol Ring

1 Arcane Signet

1 Cabal Ritual

1 Dimir Signet

1 Talisman of Dominance

1 Thought Vessel

1 Honor-worn Shaku

1 Relic of Legends

1 Worn Powerstone

Gatekeep: 8

1 Arcane Denial

1 Counterspell

1 Mana Drain

1 Remand

1 Fierce Guardianship

1 Deadly Rollick

1 Toxic Deluge

1 Force of Will

Lands: 36???

Approximate Total Cost:

Still a bit of free space. There's some tension to this deck for sure - as with any reanimator deck there's the risk of drawing in the wrong order. There's also the wrinkle that counterspells are very good to protect our precious Tolarian Obliterator but are also super awkward to hit with her ominpotence text. If I build this it'll also be on a much, much stricter budget - this is sorta my dream no-budget build.

[TheGildedGoose]

Noxious Field really takes me back.

Withering Wisps is another Pestilence.

Spinning Darkness could get some play here.

Modal counters could do work, like Archmage's Charm or Mystic Confluence.

When do you plan on playing Rona? Early or late?

[Hawk]

Noxious Field really takes me back.

Withering Wisps is another Pestilence.

Spinning Darkness could get some play here.

Modal counters could do work, like Archmage's Charm or Mystic Confluence.

When do you plan on playing Rona? Early or late?

Withering Wisps is mostly better than Pestilence, actually, since I find MV key and we're unlikely to want to activate it more than 2 or 3 times per turn.

Spinning Darkness says nonblack, so that's a no go. I was tempted by Midnight Charm but ultimately it seems too cute.

Good call on modal counters, yes!

I haven't thought that far ahead for when to cast. I imagine the deck probably wants Das Boots as some protection, actually, especially since I'm eschewing Prodigal Sorcerer-type effects for the most part (since they all just die to Pestilence effects). I envision it being a bit situational - in a slower pod with a slower hand of mostly fat, she will want to come down turn 2 to start looting. But in most games I'd envision dropping her later, and if I can make it I can even see waiting until like 8 mana to cast her, flip her, and start pumping damage onto her for omniscience. But truthfully I think most games she'll come down early and loot away.

[yeti1069]

Sanguinary Priest with a sac outlet and some way of generating bodies to sacrifice can ping for as many times as you want/Rona survives.

Encroaching Mycosynth and Mirrodin Besieged or Sai, Master Thopterist will generate a token for each permanent you cast off of Rona.
Lich's Mastery can draw you a card for each (life link'ed) ping from the Priest.
Then you just need a way to keep Rona alive (indestructible works).

I think that draws and plays your whole deck (or as much of it as you want), and possibly generates enough bodies to sac to also ping the table to death.