Osgir: Artificial Doomsday

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Crazy Monkey
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Post by Crazy Monkey » 3 years ago

This deck intends to use Osgir, the Reconstructor to reanimate artifacts that were discarded and make copies of Mirror of Fate to create semi-Doomsday piles which include the original Mirror. The most effective payoff I could find was Ugin's Nexus to take infinite turns while setting up additional win conditions. Ugin's Nexus, when copied via Osgir, will enter and one copy will be sacrificed as a state-based effect, then the remaining token can be sacrificed by Osgir to for 2 turns. Copying Osgir's ability will create 2 more Nexus per copy, because the exile is part of the ability cost. Additionally, Nexus is a replacement effect, and therefore not susceptible to Stifle effects.

This is a deck which intends to emulate a doomsday combo and take infinite turns. For that reason I've targeted this build to be at the upper end of my metagame's power level and compete against cEDH decks, while still retaining it's overall gameplan. Osgir is surprisingly well suited for this strategy when it comes to playing and retaining stax pieces. Playing symmetric hate pieces such as Null Rod, Torpor Orb, or Ethersworn Adjudicator, which can negatively impact this deck is mitigated by having a sacrifice outlet for those stax orbs in the command zone. Additionally, playing out a stax piece early and sacrificing it is fine because Osgir can then double up on that piece later to keep opponents slowed down. This also preys on the overdependence of single target removal over mass removal in my local metagame. A deck which can Nature's Claim my Torpor Orb in order to win with Oracle requires a second card for my second copy.

After playing Osgir for a year or so, I first decided that the sorcery speed limit to his ability prevents a Osgir Stax build from being cEDH viable, and power the deck down with the intention to be played in the upper power levels of my groups non-competitive metagame. I've revised the build at least three times as I work the deck more towards the type of games that I want Osgir to generate. My current build dropped all non-artifact stax and added some big creature bombs to copy a lot, while cutting all non-artificer creatures. I also dropped nearly all tutors and added so token generation support. I'm fairly satisfied with how the deck plays now into my metagame, where it can happily durdle out 8 Bronze Guardians and 8 Lightning Greaves to attack for lethal.
Deck by Function

"Doomsday" Looping

Ramp - Other sources

Making More Tokens

Recursion

Approximate Total Cost:

Original Ramblings
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The non-stax plan for this deck is effective to fuel a discard based draw engine such as Cathartic Reunion to fill the graveyard. The deck is nearly all artifacts, so the random discard effects are not too onerous. Additionally, cards like Chromatic Star or Mind Stone represent 3 cards drawn via Osgir.

Non-artifact cards can be included in Mirror of fate via escape from Underworld Breach.

Card's I plan to test:
This is intended to remain on the base 'doomsday' strategy, so it will likely never be full cEDH viable (now with more random artifact bombs!), but I'm definitely looking for feedback.
Last edited by Crazy Monkey 1 year ago, edited 10 times in total.
Commander Decks


Kemba | Kytheon | Talrand | Unesh | Teferi | Geth | primer Zada | Krenko | Torbran | Patron Orochi | Ghalta | Gargos | Medomai | The Count | Xenagos | Nikya | Jaheira, Artisan | Trostani | Athreos | Jarad | Ivy | Nin | Krark & Sakashima | Feather | Osgir | Gisela | Roon | Chulane | Sydri | Ertai | Mairsil | Vial & Malcolm | Prossh | Marath | Marisi | Syr Gwyn | Riku | Riku | Animar | Ghave | Tasigur | Muldrotha | Rayami | Zedruu | Yidris | Kynaios & Tiro | Saskia | Tymna & Kydele | Atraxa | Akiri & Silas | Sisay | Ur Dragon | Bridge | Horde | Najeela | Genju | Traxos



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Crazy Monkey
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Location: New Mexico, US

Post by Crazy Monkey » 3 years ago

So Strixhaven is adding Thrilling Discovery or Audacious Reshapers for testing. I don't think that Battlemage's Bracers is quite mana efficient enough. Fervent Mastery is probably too much mana, but it looks very good for red combo decks.

I'm trying to fit in one of a couple of packages in my flex slots: I'm relatively confident swapping the following: I'm also moving Anvil of Bogardan to the flex slots. I needed space to test Mesmeric Orb and Control of the Court. I'm dropping the disk/null brooch abilities for Rule of Law and Ensnaring Bridge for now.
Commander Decks


Kemba | Kytheon | Talrand | Unesh | Teferi | Geth | primer Zada | Krenko | Torbran | Patron Orochi | Ghalta | Gargos | Medomai | The Count | Xenagos | Nikya | Jaheira, Artisan | Trostani | Athreos | Jarad | Ivy | Nin | Krark & Sakashima | Feather | Osgir | Gisela | Roon | Chulane | Sydri | Ertai | Mairsil | Vial & Malcolm | Prossh | Marath | Marisi | Syr Gwyn | Riku | Riku | Animar | Ghave | Tasigur | Muldrotha | Rayami | Zedruu | Yidris | Kynaios & Tiro | Saskia | Tymna & Kydele | Atraxa | Akiri & Silas | Sisay | Ur Dragon | Bridge | Horde | Najeela | Genju | Traxos



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Crazy Monkey
Arcane Themes
Posts: 571
Joined: 4 years ago
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Location: New Mexico, US

Post by Crazy Monkey » 3 years ago

This deck has now had issues in one of two ways.
  • lose on turn 2 right before landing a stax piece that would have stopped it (usually Null Rod or Torpor Orb). This is might just be mulligans, and not keeping a hand with ramp on turn 1. I might need to reconsider Mox Diamond
  • lose the grindy game in combat. Osgir's 'activate only as a sorcery clause' leaves my 4/4 tapped too often. Most of these have been to token piles. Engineered Explosives plus Ensnaring Bridge should improve there. Osgir is also a target during combat so it has been difficult to get chip damage in. Archon of Emeria is another stax piece with evasion that Osgir can pump. I also need to attack with Osgir less often when he can die in combat.
I realized during gameplay that the Ugin's Nexus + Mirror of Fate loop can work through Rest in Peace or other graveyard hate, because Nexus is also a replacement effect and the mirror will be exiled for it's own ability. This does require 2 cards drawn/turn and at least 10 mana, but that loop works.
Commander Decks


Kemba | Kytheon | Talrand | Unesh | Teferi | Geth | primer Zada | Krenko | Torbran | Patron Orochi | Ghalta | Gargos | Medomai | The Count | Xenagos | Nikya | Jaheira, Artisan | Trostani | Athreos | Jarad | Ivy | Nin | Krark & Sakashima | Feather | Osgir | Gisela | Roon | Chulane | Sydri | Ertai | Mairsil | Vial & Malcolm | Prossh | Marath | Marisi | Syr Gwyn | Riku | Riku | Animar | Ghave | Tasigur | Muldrotha | Rayami | Zedruu | Yidris | Kynaios & Tiro | Saskia | Tymna & Kydele | Atraxa | Akiri & Silas | Sisay | Ur Dragon | Bridge | Horde | Najeela | Genju | Traxos



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darrenhabib
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Post by darrenhabib » 3 years ago

Mesmeric Orb combos with Basalt Monolith to mill as much of your library which you can turn into a win easily.

Getting multiple activation's of Osgir seems great. Thousand-Year Elixir has the in built haste which is also good.

Wheel of Misfortune as you can get a lot of mana with the deck. Also because a legitimate play is to cast Osgir on turn 1 with a Lion's Eye Diamond, so refills hand with top draws.

Deflecting Swat as protection.

Planar Chaos is great to completely stop opponents from trying to combo. If your artifacts get countered then you get to still put 2 x into play with Osgir.

Null Rod seem like it effects you too much.

I think Silence is better than Angel's Grace unless you had something very specific in mind?
Grand Abolisher is a good card to enable you to infinite combo with Nexus without opponents being able to stop you at that point.

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Crazy Monkey
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Post by Crazy Monkey » 3 years ago

darrenhabib wrote:
3 years ago
Mesmeric Orb combos with Basalt Monolith to mill as much of your library which you can turn into a win easily.

Getting multiple activation's of Osgir seems great. Thousand-Year Elixir has the in built haste which is also good.

Wheel of Misfortune as you can get a lot of mana with the deck. Also because a legitimate play is to cast Osgir on turn 1 with a Lion's Eye Diamond, so refills hand with top draws.

Deflecting Swat as protection.

Planar Chaos is great to completely stop opponents from trying to combo. If your artifacts get countered then you get to still put 2 x into play with Osgir.

Null Rod seem like it effects you too much.

I think Silence is better than Angel's Grace unless you had something very specific in mind?
Grand Abolisher is a good card to enable you to infinite combo with Nexus without opponents being able to stop you at that point.
I am expecting Mesmeric Orb to do well when I get to test it. It and Grinding Station will be tried over 2 looting spells. Being artifacts makes them easier to hit the battlefield.

Thousand-Year Elixir has been in my test pile for a game, but it was drawn too late to have an impact. I expect it to stick around.

Wheel of Misfortune, Wheel of Fortune and other symmetry in draw was cut/excluded due to the shear amount of heavy draw based decks among the max power decks in my meta. I landed a turn 1 Burning Inquiry in one of my games that absolutely bricked both opponents, but a wheel in the same position seem risky. Maybe I should reconsider with the inclusion of Uba Mask.

Deflecting Swat is a good answer to removal and countermagic. I am hoping that it's not necessary by setting up duplicates of what would be removed or reanimating 2 of what is countered. I think that I am more likely to add Pyroblast as an out to mass bounce first.

Planar Chaos is similar to Chalice of the Void. I can put down chalice on 2 to stop rift and oracle, then if I find Coretapper I can sac the original, and make copies which can be on 1 and 2. This stops nearly all removal and most win conditions in my meta. The pieces being artifacts that won't randomly be sacrificed on upkeep is why I think they are better here. That said, I am going to look at planar chaos for krark+sakashima, it seems good.

The beauty of null rod here is that it can come down early, punish all the fast mana, treasure, and ballista in my meta; then, when I am ready, Osgir sacrifices it. I can even slowroll it like Winter Orb, sacrificing it to unlock my turn, then make 2 copies before I end my turn. Null rod does hurt me, but I have the tool to mitigate it.

I am using Angel's Grace specifically for the cannot lose clause. If a Thassa's Oracle is on the stack with Demonic Consultation in their hand, then silence in response potentially stops everyone from losing. Angels grace, on the other hand, now let's me respond after consult and effectively makes it a 1v1 against someone without a library. Similarly if I have been hit with a mill out, typically via underworld breach+brain freeze. Grace during my upkeep made that a tutor and Mirror of fate gives me a library when my opponents don't have one.

The role of silence as protection is covered by Defense Grid. This also covers Grand Abolisher. And, as with Null Rod, I can sacrifice the grid if there is a need for interaction, then bring it back twice for my own combo turn.
Commander Decks


Kemba | Kytheon | Talrand | Unesh | Teferi | Geth | primer Zada | Krenko | Torbran | Patron Orochi | Ghalta | Gargos | Medomai | The Count | Xenagos | Nikya | Jaheira, Artisan | Trostani | Athreos | Jarad | Ivy | Nin | Krark & Sakashima | Feather | Osgir | Gisela | Roon | Chulane | Sydri | Ertai | Mairsil | Vial & Malcolm | Prossh | Marath | Marisi | Syr Gwyn | Riku | Riku | Animar | Ghave | Tasigur | Muldrotha | Rayami | Zedruu | Yidris | Kynaios & Tiro | Saskia | Tymna & Kydele | Atraxa | Akiri & Silas | Sisay | Ur Dragon | Bridge | Horde | Najeela | Genju | Traxos



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Crazy Monkey
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Location: New Mexico, US

Post by Crazy Monkey » 2 years ago

I've played this deck as it was enough into the top end of my playgroups decks enough to come to the conclusion; Osgir's sorcery speed limitation makes the deck too rigid in timing to be able to interact with full or near cEDH power levels. If Osgir could sacrifice a key piece in response to the most common interaction (bounce spells), then immediately make copies of it; I think my original plan could have been disruptive enough to hang on.

With this in mind, I've decided to significantly retool the deck to power down and target the upper-mid end of my metagame. I've kept the stax-type game plan because of how asymmetric my commander can make them, but dropped the more egregious (Winter Orb). This is acceptable within my metagame, and makes this my only dedicated stax deck as a strategy.

I dropped virtually all the discard/draw spells for more repeatable methods. I also dropped all my low CMC interaction to double down on artifacts for Osgir. This forces the deck to be proactive board control instead of reacting on the stack. This means that I wanted proactive protection, such as Darksteel Forge and Bronze Guardian. I considered Leonin Abunas, but Guardian being an artifact itself works better with Osgir.

I also added in even more activated ability synergy with Oswald, Reshapers, and Battlemage Bracers. I might look for a Cavern of Souls to name artificer's soon.

Overall, I think this deck now hits my general target power, and can now hold it's own in most games that it's built for.

EDIT: I added in Cosmos Elixir because it was the lowest mana value artifact which draws cards each turn without giving my opponent's cards. I though about Eye of Vecna, but the persistent cost and legendary type make it less effective to copy with Osgir.
Commander Decks


Kemba | Kytheon | Talrand | Unesh | Teferi | Geth | primer Zada | Krenko | Torbran | Patron Orochi | Ghalta | Gargos | Medomai | The Count | Xenagos | Nikya | Jaheira, Artisan | Trostani | Athreos | Jarad | Ivy | Nin | Krark & Sakashima | Feather | Osgir | Gisela | Roon | Chulane | Sydri | Ertai | Mairsil | Vial & Malcolm | Prossh | Marath | Marisi | Syr Gwyn | Riku | Riku | Animar | Ghave | Tasigur | Muldrotha | Rayami | Zedruu | Yidris | Kynaios & Tiro | Saskia | Tymna & Kydele | Atraxa | Akiri & Silas | Sisay | Ur Dragon | Bridge | Horde | Najeela | Genju | Traxos



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Crazy Monkey
Arcane Themes
Posts: 571
Joined: 4 years ago
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Location: New Mexico, US

Post by Crazy Monkey » 1 year ago

It's been quite some time since I last updated this posted list, but a player in my metagame asked for my list so I've gone back to update it. I can't recall all the direct swaps, but the largest changes are that I refocused to reinforce on a theme for artifacts and artificers. I also added a subtheme for tokens and treasures because making copies of Academy Manufactor to create 3^N times more artifacts greatly entertains me. I did end up cutting all non-artifact stax and all non-artificer creatures to swap towards a more value generation approach.
Commander Decks


Kemba | Kytheon | Talrand | Unesh | Teferi | Geth | primer Zada | Krenko | Torbran | Patron Orochi | Ghalta | Gargos | Medomai | The Count | Xenagos | Nikya | Jaheira, Artisan | Trostani | Athreos | Jarad | Ivy | Nin | Krark & Sakashima | Feather | Osgir | Gisela | Roon | Chulane | Sydri | Ertai | Mairsil | Vial & Malcolm | Prossh | Marath | Marisi | Syr Gwyn | Riku | Riku | Animar | Ghave | Tasigur | Muldrotha | Rayami | Zedruu | Yidris | Kynaios & Tiro | Saskia | Tymna & Kydele | Atraxa | Akiri & Silas | Sisay | Ur Dragon | Bridge | Horde | Najeela | Genju | Traxos



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