Varina, Lich Queen - Esper Zombie Midrange

[pzbw7z]

Plumb the Forbidden is one of those cards one just never finds in shops. I didn't like Epiphany at the Drownyard when I ran it, but it's perhaps better than Fact or Fiction, which I do run. I may reconsider.

[toctheyounger]

Plumb the Forbidden is one of those cards one just never finds in shops. I didn't like Epiphany at the Drownyard when I ran it, but it's perhaps better than Fact or Fiction, which I do run. I may reconsider.

It really is worth tracking down, but I agree. It's tough to find. It's probably the best draw in the build, purely for scaling precisely as much as you'd like, from one card with no sac to as many as you can sac.

I generally agree regarding Epiphany at the Drownyard though, the card is strange. I find it's very rarely what I want to funnel my mana into, but it does dig deep, so there is that.

Broadly speaking I think these burst draw spells tend to fare better for the deck than tax draws do. We benefit from having a glut of cards and being able to sculpt hand and fill yard proactively is very beneficial. I love remora and Rhystic, but they do tend to be somewhat subpar here.

[Falkenbach]

I think it could be good in a deck that looks to play a longer game using more of Varina's ability and token synergies and less fast zombocombo bs or aggro. Varina definitely has a control shell deck that just makes zombies and uses stuff like Opposition and Dreadhorde Invasion type stuff. There're a few other efficient zombie token makers too IIRC (Lazotep Chancellor is legit).

I am curious if we could do something with Opposition and Faces of the Past and other tab effects and a horde of zombies Intruder Alarm
So far i can think of Cryptbreaker and Gravespawn Sovereign . Its not optimal but it could make a different build and take on Varina

[pokken]

I generally agree regarding Epiphany at the Drownyard though, the card is strange. I find it's very rarely what I want to funnel my mana into, but it does dig deep, so there is that.

I don't get the epiphany hate. For me it's been a game winner most times I draw it. Epiphany plus altar = gg. Epiphany plus crypt or nykthos = gg.

So easy to make a crapload of mana in this deck late in the game and if you have to cycle it early on it's not too bad.

Being east to cast is also very helpful.

There have been multiple times where I split it all in one pile and people had to put them in my hand out of terror lol.

[toctheyounger]

I generally agree regarding Epiphany at the Drownyard though, the card is strange. I find it's very rarely what I want to funnel my mana into, but it does dig deep, so there is that.

I don't get the epiphany hate. For me it's been a game winner most times I draw it. Epiphany plus altar = gg. Epiphany plus crypt or nykthos = gg.

So easy to make a crapload of mana in this deck late in the game and if you have to cycle it early on it's not too bad.

Being east to cast is also very helpful.

There have been multiple times where I split it all in one pile and people had to put them in my hand out of terror lol.

Yeah, maybe I am undervaluing it. I've just found it's often one I sandbag for other plays, so maybe I'm missing out.

[devilcatz]

Sidar labari of Zhalfir

Legendary Creature - Human Knight

Eminence - Whenever you attack with one or more Knights, if Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir is in the command zone or on the battlefield, draw a card, then discard a card.
Flying, first strike
Whenever Sidar Jabari deals combat damage to a player, return target Knight creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
4/3


New Varina but for knights?
No zombie making
Must connect

[pokken]

doesn't scale with # of attackers thank god

[pzbw7z]

I do have a fondness for tribal knights. Sidar Jabari upgrade Sidar Jabari of Zhalfrim (link will work, eventually) looks like it might be a fun commander and maybe a better commander for Haakon than Varina. Esper for knights seems odd, but W and B are the most important colors. U will add some good spells. R will be missed primarily because of Embercleave but that's about far enough off topic for me.

[pokken]

I will say it is kinda cool that the commander explicitly enables Haakon, Stromgald Scourge

[toctheyounger]

I am pleased to see Zhalfir return. Mirage was in rotation when I first started playing, it's a real nostalgia kick for me.

[pokken]

I want some more swampcycling zombies dangit

[pzbw7z]

I am pleased to see Zhalfir return. Mirage was in rotation when I first started playing, it's a real nostalgia kick for me.

I want some more swampcycling zombies dangit

I played during the Mirage cycle as well, and a cheaper swamp-cycler would be welcome. I'm not sure I want to see any more flanking, though.

[toctheyounger]

I'm not sure I want to see any more flanking, though.

It's not banding, but it's not great either. The mechanics so far seem decent. Backup for example seems like it could well be worth it if there's any zombies that are well costed. It's doubtful but you never know.

[pzbw7z]

I'm not sure I want to see any more flanking, though.

It's not banding, but it's not great either. The mechanics so far seem decent. Backup for example seems like it could well be worth it if there's any zombies that are well costed. It's doubtful but you never know.

I actually didn't mind banding. I would band Camels with an Abu Ja'far|ARN and attack; people would look at me like I was stupid. Then I'd play Army of Allah!

Flanking was just weird. "Oh, you assign that X/1 creature to block? It dies, and you can't regenerate it!"

[Reya]

What do you think of Soul Partition ? This card can work exactly like Chain of Vapor. It lets you exile anything when you want to go of or lets you "protect" your own combo piece (for a later recast).

[pokken]

What do you think of Soul Partition ? This card can work exactly like Chain of Vapor. It lets you exile anything when you want to go of or lets you "protect" your own combo piece (for a later recast).

I think it's defensible. My deck slants U a little more than W, but I definitely would play Soul Partition before most other removal. Significantly before Anguished Unmaking or Void Rend

[toctheyounger]

What do you think of Soul Partition ? This card can work exactly like Chain of Vapor. It lets you exile anything when you want to go of or lets you "protect" your own combo piece (for a later recast).

I think it's defensible. My deck slants U a little more than W, but I definitely would play Soul Partition before most other removal. Significantly before Anguished Unmaking or Void Rend

I'm down with that too. I've run it elsewhere and it is the sort of tempo removal this deck needs.

As an aside the way its worded it can protect your stuff too without costing the extra 2 to cast. I can't think of many pieces we'd desperately want to do that for but you never know, I guess.

[pokken]

I can't think of many pieces we'd desperately want to do that for but you never know, I guess.

Altars for sure, especially since you can usually sac some creatures to them to pay for it and pay for recasting it

[toctheyounger]

I can't think of many pieces we'd desperately want to do that for but you never know, I guess.

Altars for sure, especially since you can usually sac some creatures to them to pay for it and pay for recasting it

Yep good call. Probably the aristocrats too if there's anything particularly nasty pointed our way. Otherwise Varina getting got in the early turns can really hurt too.

[toctheyounger]

So what do we think of battles for Varina? In the abstract or specific? There's nothing inherently zombie flavored spoiled so far, but Battle for Tolvada isn't awful on either side. It has a nice ETB and the flipside has a token boost. Yeah, it isn't much so far, but we can hope for something wildly specific and great for us.

I feel like with the right card we're in a good position to hit the battle via combat, considering we need to swing anyway, we have some evasion and we can almost always build a presence. Flipping them seems doable here. It's just whether the juice is worth the squeeze.

[pokken]

The one that tutors for instants or sorceries is pretty good.

Giving us something to attack that isn't a player feels like extra good politics for Varina.

If there's a mass reanimating one it's a shoe in I think.

The sequence of Invasion of Arcavios get demonic tutor then attack and double demonic tutor feels pretty game winning. Or double intuition.

[pzbw7z]

Invasion of Innistrad doesn't look awful, but it doesn't look spectacular either. Still, it might be worth a spin.

Removing a large, perhaps indestructible creature and two 2/2 Zombie tokens isn't terrible four 2BB and a few swings at something other than an opponent. The ability to exile a few of one's opponents' creatures could prove handy from time to time before a mass reanimation. The ability to remove their flashback cards and just graveyard value in general could also prove useful.

It might not scream value, but it seems reasonable.

[pokken]

Invasion of Innistrad doesn't look awful, but it doesn't look spectacular either. Still, it might be worth a spin.

Removing a large, perhaps indestructible creature and two 2/2 Zombie tokens isn't terrible four 2BB and a few swings at something other than an opponent. The ability to exile a few of one's opponents' creatures could prove handy from time to time before a mass reanimation. The ability to remove their flashback cards and just graveyard value in general could also prove useful.

It might not scream value, but it seems reasonable.

It's not the worst removal spell ever I guess, but probably more of a budget thing I think.

Enchantments that make zombies have a lot of application in a more controlling Varina shell too.

[pzbw7z]

If it were only cards from my graveyard I'd say pass, for sure, but since it isn't, I think it's worth considering.

[toctheyounger]

Yeah, I think it's like pretty on the fence myself. Flash is nice in it's own way, but I'm still not hugely sold.