Harry Potter and the Sultai Slytherin [Voldemort Theme Deck]

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FenrirRex
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Post by FenrirRex » 3 years ago

While my relationship with Harry Potter has grown complicated over the years (the author's garbage opinions and strange retconning decisions being quite contentious) I have a deep love for the world itself and, in particular, the primary antagonist of the story: the Dark Lord Voldemort. The following is the current incarnation of that affection crafted into a theme deck.

The deck is vaguely designed to play with Tasigur, the Golden Fang as the commander, however the other two tri-color legends (The Mimeoplasm and Muldrotha, the Gravetide) are also perfectly serviceable and still flavorful if in the mood for something that plays differently. There is very little optimization in here, with flavor first being the goal, but I also made sure not to sacrifice too much in the way of playability- meaning the deck is still effective in low-medium power level games, and may even be able to squeak by in other environments.

First, the deck organized by flavor and spoiler tagged on the extreme off chance you're here but are not familiar with the Potter plot:
SPOILER
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Flavorful Voldemort

Voldemort's Forms:

1 Master Biomancer (Tom Riddle)
1 Avatar of Woe (Voldemort at His Height)
1 Muldrotha, the Gravetide (The Spirit of the Dark Lord)
1 Biomancer's Familiar (In a Weakened State)
1 The Mimeoplasm (Voldemort's Reanimation)
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang (The Dark Lord Returned)

The Inner Circle:

1 Sakura-Tribe Elder (Severus Snape)
1 Shadowmage Infiltrator (Draco Malfoy)
1 Doomed Necromancer (Quirinus Quirrell)
1 Vizier of Many Faces (Bartemius Crouch Jr.)
1 Gonti, Lord of Luxury (Lucius Malfoy)
1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier (Narcissa Malfoy)
1 Hythonia the Cruel (Bellatrix Lestrange)

Minions of the Dark Lord:

1 Baleful Strix (A Dark Messenger)
1 Masked Admirers (Deatheaters)
1 Ohran Frostfang (The Basilisk)
1 Torrent Elemental (Dementors)
1 Prime Speaker Zegana (Minions in the Ministry)
1 Grave Titan (Giant Allies and Inferi)

Horcruxes:

1 Tamiyo's Journal (Riddle's Diary)
1 Sol Ring (Marvolo Gaunt's Ring)
1 Primal Amulet (Slytherin's Locket)
1 Everflowing Chalice (Hufflepuff's Cup)
1 Crown of Doom (Ravenclaw's Diadem)
1 Willbender (Harry Potter)
1 Mystic Snake (Nagini)

The Deathly Hallows:

1 Whispersilk Cloak (The Cloak of Invisibility)
1 Mimic Vat (The Resurrection Stone)
1 Deathrender (The Elder Wand)

The Unforgivable Curses:

1 Hero's Downfall (Avada Kadavra)
1 Control Magic (Imperio)

Voldemort's Spells and Tools:

1 Arcane Signet (Wizarding World Wealth)
1 Abrupt Decay (Bombarda)
1 Cyclonic Rift (Apparition)
1 Counterspell (Finite)
1 Disdainful Stroke (Surgito)
1 Sultai Charm (Dark Mark Tattoo)
1 Putrefy (Fiendfyre)
1 Krosan Grip (Deletrius)
1 Soul Manipulation (The Horcrux Curse)
1 Praetor's Grasp (Legilimancy)
1 Mnemonic Betrayal (Morsmordre)
1 Summary Dismissal (Finite Incantatem)
1 Insidious Will (Obliviate)
1 Murderous Cut (Sectumsempra)

The Dark Lord's Journey:

1 Yavimaya Elder (Tom Riddle Sr., Voldemort's Father)
1 Eternal Witness (Merope Gaunt, Voldemort's Mother)
1 Rhystic Study (Study at Hogwarts)
1 Farseek (Personal Search for Meaning)
1 Find // Finality (A Desire to Defy Death)
1 Journey to Eternity (Discovering Horcruxes)
1 Deadbridge Chant (Rise to Power)
1 Commander's Sphere (The Prophecy)
1 Profane Command (A Failed Killing Curse)
1 Time Stretch (Survival Beyond Death)
1 Life from the Loam (Gathering a Means to Return)
1 Connive // Concoct (Brewing Plans to Return)
1 The Eldest Reborn (Voldemort's Revival)
1 Villainous Wealth (Priori Incantatem)
1 Decree of Pain (A Violent Return to Power)
1 Treasure Cruise (The Humiliation of Dumbledore)
1 Monastery Siege (The Siege of Hogwarts)
Approximate Total Cost:

Now deck list by card type:
Flavorless Decklist

Commander:

Approximate Total Cost:

Individual Card Flavor Breakdown:
SPOILER
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Voldemort's Forms:
Master Biomancer (Tom Riddle)- A pretty-looking individual who bolsters those that join him feels like a solid young Lord Voldemort.

Avatar of Woe (Voldemort at His Height)- A powerful, fearful image that wields death itself represents Voldemort when he was at his most powerful.

Muldrotha, the Gravetide (The Spirit of the Dark Lord)- After his fall, Voldemort moves from body to body, still acting beyond death as he puts his influence into other people and objects. Muldrotha mechanically reflects this.

Biomancer's Familiar (In a Weakened State)- Voldemort initially returns in an ugly, infantile state. He helps empower those around him, but otherwise this card was chosen due to its visuals.

The Mimeoplasm (Voldemort's Reanimation)- Voldemort is revived via a ritual that employs the blood of the enemy and the bone of the father- the Mimeoplasm juices itself with two elements from local graveyards. Quite the slam dunk mechanically.

Tasigur, the Golden Fang (The Dark Lord Returned)- A decently sized body that takes power from the graveyard, another perfect rep for a reanimated Voldemort.

The Inner Circle:
Sakura-Tribe Elder (Severus Snape)- For Voldemort, the death of Severus Snape is the most important element in his story (mistakenly giving him the right to the Elder Wand), so a creature that's more useful dead than alive is apt.

Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator (Wormtail/Peter Pettigrew)- A lesser rat that becomes something greater with the ability to reanimate- could ask for no better Pettigrew card.

Shadowmage Infiltrator (Draco Malfoy)- A small, sneaky body infiltrating Hogwarts for Voldemort.

Doomed Necromancer (Quirinus Quirrell)- A wizard who cuts his own life short to bring about Voldemort's return.

Vizier of Many Faces (Bartemius Crouch Jr.)- Employing polyjuice potion, Bartemius Crouch returns from his supposed death to serve Voldemort.

Gonti, Lord of Luxury (Lucius Malfoy)- One of the wealthiest families in the wizarding world devotes its resources to Voldemort. Gonti's namesake and abilities just scream Lucius.

Sidisi, Undead Vizier (Narcissa Malfoy)- Narcissa is a subtle character, but she is consistently a lynchpin in the deatheater community and their plans, making this tutor a key choice.

Hythonia the Cruel (Bellatrix Lestrange)- Renowned for her wild hair and destructive capabilities, Hythonia is about as perfect a Bellatrix as could be.

Minions of the Dark Lord:
Baleful Strix (A Dark Messenger)- Can't have a Potter theme deck without an owl.

Masked Admirers (Deatheaters)- Visually spooky and as hard to kill as the deatheaters themselves.

Ohran Frostfang (The Basilisk)- One of the biggest and baddest snakes in magic makes for a solid Basilisk.

Torrent Elemental (Dementors)- Another major flavor home run in the shape of a flying black cloud of unpleasantness that taps down everything it approaches.

Prime Speaker Zegana (Minions in the Ministry)- With individuals in the ministry serving the dark lord, willingly or unwillingly, Voldemort gains substantial resources from the failures of the wizarding governers.

Grave Titan (Giant Allies and Inferi)- Knocks out two birds with one stone by representing both the giants that Voldemort "befriends" and the zombified Inferi that he summons.

Horcruxes:
Tamiyo's Journal (Riddle's Diary)- In the second book, Riddle's diary slowly accrues value until attempting to go for the "win" condition of reviving voldemort. The journal builds steadily to a tutor, making this a near perfect replication.

Sol Ring (Marvolo Gaunt's Ring)- The best ring in the game to represent the only ring horcrux. Notably, one of the most powerful cards in the game representing the item that cursed and could have killed Dumbledore is real.

Primal Amulet (Slytherin's Locket)- No small supply of potential amulets and the like, but Slytherin's locket travels the most among the Horcruxes (excluding Nagini and Potter himself), so choosing the one that flips into a land feels right.

Everflowing Chalice (Hufflepuff's Cup)- The flavor here is twofold- Helga was clearly very generous with her mana and the counters also do a solid job of replicating the duplicating hex that protected the chalice.

Crown of Doom (Ravenclaw's Diadem)- A surprising lack of decent crowns has lead to this pick, at least representing a suitably cursed effect.

Willbender (Harry Potter)- Harry is prone to getting in the way of other people's plans, and Willbender popping up and suddenly throwing around Expelliarmus is spot on.

Mystic Snake (Nagini)- As a horcrux, Nagini was noted as being surprisingly resilient to magic. She still may just be a 2/2, small enough for a sword to slay, but she'll still stop a problematic spell in its tracks.

The Deathly Hallows:
Whispersilk Cloak (The Cloak of Invisibility)- Easy 1 for 1 visual and effect for the cloak.

Mimic Vat (The Resurrection Stone)- The resurrection stone summons a shadow of a living being, an effect that Mimic Vat solidly replicates. As a bonus point, the art for the Mimic Vat looks an awful lot like the cauldron that Voldemort is resurrected in.

Deathrender (The Elder Wand)- The fickle elder wand jumps from one wizard to the next upon the defeat of the previous wielder. Deathrender replicates this effect solidly.

The Unforgivable Curses:
Torment of Hailfire (Crucio)- Crucio is the curse of turoture, and nothing feels more torturous to most opponents than a resolved Hailfire.

Hero's Downfall (Avada Kadavra)- Kills things dead, much like the killing curse.

Control Magic (Imperio)- There are a handful of control magic effects in the game, some of which also involve sacrificing the creature you take control of, but the permanency of this effect (and its flavorful ability to be dispelled by suitable counter magic) keeps this classic in the mind control curse slot.

Voldemort's Spells and Tools:
Arcane Signet (Wizarding World Wealth)- The OG version of this deck ran all the signets to represent the three kinds of currency in the wizarding world, but I like shrinking that down to just the one representative here.

Abrupt Decay (Bombarda)- Bombarda is, as the name might imply, a sudden destructive spell. Abrupt Decay works solidly here.

Cyclonic Rift (Apparition)- The only direct reference to the movies, as I very much like the dark swirling clouds that Voldemort and the Death Eaters use when using Apparition- the telporting spell. While the card itself does only a cursory impression of this, the visual is spot on.

Counterspell (Finite)- The basic counterspell is, in fact, counterspell

Disdainful Stroke (Surgito)- Surgito is yet another counter charm, commonly employed against enchantments.

Sultai Charm (Dark Mark Tattoo)- The Dark Mark is inscribed on the bodies of Voldemort's followers. The emblem in the art is similar to this kind of imagery, but more importantly the spell shows the flexibility that Voldemort's followers might offer when coerced by the burning of their Mark.

Putrefy (Fiendfyre)- Fiendfyre is a powerful, cursed flame that destroys living things and enchanted objects alike.

Krosan Grip (Deletrius)- Deletrius is a spell noted for its ability to destroy physical objects.

Soul Manipulation (The Horcrux Curse)- The Horcrux Curse takes death of one being and transfers it into an object or living creature, taking a piece of the user's soul with it as well, and ultimately helping the wielder defy death. Soul Manipulation represents this perfectly.

Praetor's Grasp (Legilimancy)- Legilimancy is the process of entering the mind of an opponent and influencing them, usually in a subtle manner, but it could also be used as a more blunt force tool. Praetor's Grasp is near-perfect for this.

Mnemonic Betrayal (Morsmordre)- Morsmordre, or the Dark Mark itself, shoots a green skull with a serpentine tongue into the air. The art for Mnemonic Betrayel is amazing at representing this.

Summary Dismissal (Finite Incantatem)- The empowered form of the standard counterspell gets screen time with this catch-all counter.

Insidious Will (Obliviate)- Obliviate, or the memory charm, scraps chunks of memories for those its cast upon. Insidious Will represents several of the potential results of just such an effect.

Murderous Cut (Sectumsempra)- A spell that sends out a murderous, slashing projectile to harm opponents.

The Dark Lord's Journey:
Yavimaya Elder (Tom Riddle Sr., Voldemort's Father)- Can't have voldemort without a father. Notably, his bones are used in the resurrection of Voldemort, something that is solidly shown in his sacrifice and death effects.

Eternal Witness (Merope Gaunt, Voldemort's Mother)- Similarly we need a mother, and her memory will always be witness to the doom that came after.

Rhystic Study (Study at Hogwarts)- Voldemort's formative years were spent at Hogwarts, where he would discover his affinity for commanding and controlling others.

Farseek (Personal Search for Meaning)- During his time at Hogwarts and beyond, Voldemort was always exploring the borders of knowledge and nature itself.

Find // Finality (A Desire to Defy Death)- Voldemort would ultimately find a desire to defy the finality of death.

Journey to Eternity (Discovering Horcruxes)- The most powerful tool for his resurrection would be discovered in the form of Horcruxes, here represented by an enchantment that does what he is aiming to do.

Deadbridge Chant (Rise to Power)- This card shows Voldemort gathering all his power to him to enact the first Wizarding War, employing all the darkness of the grave to the best of his abilities.

Commander's Sphere (The Prophecy)- A circular sphere that contains the prophecy that foretells Voldemort's downfall.

Profane Command (A Failed Killing Curse)- Profane command has effects that display all the elements of his story, particularly his fall. The fear he inflicts on others while in power, the life he pulls from his foes, the killing curse itself, and the revival of one who should have died (be it Voldemort or Harry).

Time Stretch (Survival Beyond Death)- After his "death," Voldemort lives on for many years as a spirit and then a lesser, infantile creature. Time stretch shows both stages of this, one extra turn each.

Life from the Loam (Gathering a Means to Return)- Voldemort begins to gather his power again with the help of his most loyal minions. Loam shows him gathering power (mana/lands), while also specifically feeding the graveyard mechanics of the various commanders.

Connive // Concoct (Brewing Plans to Return)- In name alone this is a flavor hit for Voldemorts growing plans and eventual revival.

The Eldest Reborn (Voldemort's Revival)- Nothing better shows the return of Voldemort. Kill Cedric, harm Harry, return.

Villainous Wealth (Priori Incantatem)- Priori Incantatem is when two wands connect and a battle of wills take place. The loser's wand regurgitates its previous spells and shades of those they have killed. While Harry won this particular clash in the books, Wealth replicates a perfect feeling of someone "winning" the contest.

Decree of Pain (A Violent Return to Power)- A big kill spell to kick off the second wizarding war.

Treasure Cruise (The Humiliation of Dumbledore)- Treasure cruise could further represent the wealth of Voldemort's followers, but one of Dumbledore's biggest defeats came in the shape of a trap laid by Voldemort after Harry and Dumbledore travel across an inferi-infested lake. A babbling, tearful Dumbledore is the kind of image that this deck wants to keep close to heart.

Monastery Siege (The Siege of Hogwarts)- The final chapter in Voldemort's story is the Battle of Hogwarts, so including a siege that feeds into his graveyard strategies works wonderfully.
Are there any big flavor misses here? Something you think Voldemort needs in his toolkit that the deck isn't representing? Let me know! I'm always eager to discover something new and tasty for flavor-driven decks.
Last edited by FenrirRex 3 years ago, edited 6 times in total.

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TheAmericanSpirit
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Post by TheAmericanSpirit » 3 years ago

Look, Steve is a cool card with lots of utility. But Steve is no Snape. If he's gotta be a two drop, might I suggest Lazav, the Multifarious or at least Skull Prophet? He's a character who warrants a more glamorous representation IMHO.
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Post by Phoenixlance » 3 years ago

As someone who also holds a deep love for the world and lore of Harry Potter, I love and appreciate the care and attention to detail you've put into this.

I agree with TheAmericanSpirit in that Lazav, the Multifarious feels like a much better representation for Snape than Elder. Steve could be a good stand-in for his Parseltongue ability though. Villainous Wealth also reminds me more of how young Riddle hoarded trinkets rather than Priori; something like Clash of Wills feels more appropriate for that (although that card certainly isn't the best in EDH).

Voldemort didn't really care much for the story of the Hallows, at least from what I can recall. He pursued the Wand but there wasn't much mention that he was aware of the existence of the Stone and Cloak. Perhaps more room could be made for other members of his circle like Dolohov, the Carrows, and Greyback?
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FenrirRex
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Post by FenrirRex » 3 years ago

TheAmericanSpirit wrote:
3 years ago
Look, Steve is a cool card with lots of utility. But Steve is no Snape. If he's gotta be a two drop, might I suggest Lazav, the Multifarious or at least Skull Prophet? He's a character who warrants a more glamorous representation IMHO.
I definitely see the issue here, I like Lazav flavorfully for the pick and may do exactly that. The original deck ran a Slytherin subtheme with a handful of snakes, but the deck has evolved beyond that. Noted in my flavor picks section (which is now updated), however, it is noteworthy that Snape is most useful to Voldemort dead, so the sacrificial aspect of Steve may still be better.
Phoenixlance wrote:
3 years ago
As someone who also holds a deep love for the world and lore of Harry Potter, I love and appreciate the care and attention to detail you've put into this.

I agree with TheAmericanSpirit in that Lazav, the Multifarious feels like a much better representation for Snape than Elder. Steve could be a good stand-in for his Parseltongue ability though. Villainous Wealth also reminds me more of how young Riddle hoarded trinkets rather than Priori; something like Clash of Wills feels more appropriate for that (although that card certainly isn't the best in EDH).

Voldemort didn't really care much for the story of the Hallows, at least from what I can recall. He pursued the Wand but there wasn't much mention that he was aware of the existence of the Stone and Cloak. Perhaps more room could be made for other members of his circle like Dolohov, the Carrows, and Greyback?
Yeah, as noted in my flavor bits Wealth only feels like winning the Priori Incantatem clash, though some alternative-history takes may be appropriate in the deck in that regard. You're right that Voldemort never cared about the Hallows beyond the wand, so I may pull the other two for more of his circle. Which werewolf reps Greyback the best do you think? It's a shame that the carrows don't have much to do with zombies or else Gisa and Geralf (or Ghoulcaller Gisa and Stitcher Geralf) would be ideal... er, if the deck actually ran any number of actual zombies.

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Post by FenrirRex » 3 years ago

Debating on some Kaldheim updates for this list-

Egon, God of Death // Throne of Death [/card] could readily be another Voldemort, looking like a solid youthful Riddle, or potentially as a better Draco from a visual perspective. The throne is generally cool flavorfully as well and feeds basically all the commander options. The question thus is the swaps and exactly what flavor we're considering. We don't have the youngest Voldemort, Tom Riddle at the orphanage/in his earliest Hogwarts years, and this would bring us up to 7 incarnations which is a magic number.

Withercrown is a strong contender to replace the lackluster Crown of Doom for Ravenclaw's Diadem (especially if including Egon as yet another Voldemort, given the flavor text).

Sarulf, Realm Eater is a notable option for Fenrir Greyback, since it's a reference to the great wolf that is Fenrir's namesake.

Littjara Mirrorlake and Port of Karfell are both very Hogwartsy in appearance.

Any other cards from the set that I'm missing that are clear flavor wins?

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Post by FenrirRex » 3 years ago

Strixhaven had fewer contenders for the deck than one might think, which overall I consider a good thing since the "easy mode" of just throwing in a ton of Harry Potter references wouldn't feel great. That said there are a few considerations:

Tempted by the Oriq is a neat way to show Death Eater recruitment and is probably the card I'm most interested in trying to make room for.

Similarly Oriq Loremage and Plumb the Forbidden are interesting reps for more death eaters, though we're pretty well stocked there already.

Poet's Quill is another interesting way to show off Voldemort's studies or, with more than a bit of a stretch, to rep his diary in an interesting way.

Harness Infinity is another card to rep the overall search for immortality, but again that seems pretty well covered.

Hall of Oracles is an obvious inclusion for the Hall of Prophecy, a definite snap pick.

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