Sliver Overlord + Zirda - a simple premise that leads to a strange place (changeling tribal-ish)

User avatar
DirkGently
My wins are unconditional
Posts: 4519
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by DirkGently » 3 years ago

April 17th, Zirda gets spoiled.

"Hmm, cool ability. There's gotta be some commanders that are really gross with that. Let's take a look...activated abilities that cost 3 seem the most powerful..."

"Oh man, sliver overlord must be disgusting, 1 cmc to tutor any sliver? Yikes."

"...wait, activated abilities only, right. That probably cuts down on the number of slivers by quite a bit, but at least there's a few like Magma Sliver and Clot Sliver."

"...wait, let me check the wording of those abilities...oh damn, those aren't activated abilities at all, they're static abilities that give an activated ability, so I can't run those either."

"...so how many slivers CAN I run? It has to have its own activated ability...okay, so it looks like.....4. And one is redundant with overlord. Okay, so zirda is a worthless companion for Overlord."

"....wait, changelings! I can run changelings! Amoeboid Changeling is pretty strong with overlord, but what else could I do with the ability to tutor up changelings for 1 mana?"

And that's how I ended up building this monstrosity - Overlord Zirda Activated Ability Changeling...elf...rebel....zombie....wizard......ally........etc.
Sliver Overlord Zirda Nonsense

Mercenary (2)

Duh (2)

Approximate Total Cost:

Perm Decks
Phelddagrif - Kaervek - Golos - Zirilan

Flux Decks
Gollum - Lobelia - Minthara - Plargg2 - Solphim - Otharri - Graaz - Ratchet - Soundwave - Slicer - Gale - Rootha - Kagemaro - Blorpityblorpboop - Kayla - SliverQueen - Ivy - Falco - Gluntch - Charlatan/Wilson - Garth - Kros - Anthousa - Shigeki - Light-Paws - Lukka - Sefris - Ebondeath - Rokiric - Garth - Nixilis - Grist - Mavinda - Kumano - Nezahal - Mavinda - Plargg - Plargg - Extus - Plargg - Oracle - Kardur - Halvar - Tergrid - Egon - Cosima - Halana+Livio - Jeska+Falthis+Obosh - Yeva - Akiri+Zirda - Lady Sun - Nahiri - Korlash - Overlord+Zirda - Chisei - Athreos2 - Akim - Cazur+Ukkima - Otrimi - Otrimi - Kalamax - Ayli+Lurrus - Clamilton - Gonti - Heliod2 - Ayula - Thassa2 - Gallia - Purphoros2 - Rankle - Uro - Rayami - Gargos - Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa - Ashling1 - Angus - Arcum - Talrand - Chainer - Higure - Kumano - Scion - Teferi1 - Uyo - Sisters
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote
Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena
Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6

User avatar
materpillar
the caterpillar
Posts: 1294
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: Unlisted
Location: Ohio

Post by materpillar » 3 years ago

How's this deck play out for you?

I'm curious to know why you haven't added more slivers like Gemhide Sliver or Manaweft Sliver.

I think this deck really wants Swiftfoot Boots and Lightning Greaves.

User avatar
MeowZeDung
Posts: 1117
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: Unlisted

Post by MeowZeDung » 3 years ago

materpillar wrote:
3 years ago
I'm curious to know why you haven't added more slivers like Gemhide Sliver or Manaweft Sliver.
I'm not sure they would be legal with Zirda as companion since they don't have an activated ability, but rather a static ability which then gives them an activated ability. I might be wrong about that though.

Arcane Adaptation would let you turn all creatures in your library into slivers and allow Sliver Overlord to tutor for any of them. Ermagersh, nevermind. Zirda, companion, the thing I literally just got done typing about.
Kykar primer and other active decks (click!)

User avatar
DirkGently
My wins are unconditional
Posts: 4519
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by DirkGently » 3 years ago

materpillar wrote:
3 years ago
How's this deck play out for you?

I'm curious to know why you haven't added more slivers like Gemhide Sliver or Manaweft Sliver.

I think this deck really wants Swiftfoot Boots and Lightning Greaves.
NZ reentered lockdown last week, so I won't get to play it for another 10 days or so. It's assembled and waiting though.

AFAIK there are only 4 legal slivers in a zirda deck: Sliver Overlord itself, Sliver Queen (not terribly exciting in a world where you can't run slivers), Homing Sliver (redundant with sliver overlord and also not very exciting in a world without slivers), and Dregscape Sliver (which did make the cut and actually seems pretty spicy...I kinda wish we could run Ashes of the Fallen!) Every other sliver has static abilities, not activated abilities.

Hence why I find this idea so interesting, because I'm not doing changeling tribal "just because", I'm doing changeling tribal because wtf else do you do with Overlord + Zirda? This might actually be the best way to go about it.

Swifties probably not, but greaves isn't a bad idea since it makes most mana dorks mana-neutral or better. The shroud probably isn't super relevant though, power is pretty distributed outside of a few outliers, most of which we intend to activate the turn we play them.
Perm Decks
Phelddagrif - Kaervek - Golos - Zirilan

Flux Decks
Gollum - Lobelia - Minthara - Plargg2 - Solphim - Otharri - Graaz - Ratchet - Soundwave - Slicer - Gale - Rootha - Kagemaro - Blorpityblorpboop - Kayla - SliverQueen - Ivy - Falco - Gluntch - Charlatan/Wilson - Garth - Kros - Anthousa - Shigeki - Light-Paws - Lukka - Sefris - Ebondeath - Rokiric - Garth - Nixilis - Grist - Mavinda - Kumano - Nezahal - Mavinda - Plargg - Plargg - Extus - Plargg - Oracle - Kardur - Halvar - Tergrid - Egon - Cosima - Halana+Livio - Jeska+Falthis+Obosh - Yeva - Akiri+Zirda - Lady Sun - Nahiri - Korlash - Overlord+Zirda - Chisei - Athreos2 - Akim - Cazur+Ukkima - Otrimi - Otrimi - Kalamax - Ayli+Lurrus - Clamilton - Gonti - Heliod2 - Ayula - Thassa2 - Gallia - Purphoros2 - Rankle - Uro - Rayami - Gargos - Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa - Ashling1 - Angus - Arcum - Talrand - Chainer - Higure - Kumano - Scion - Teferi1 - Uyo - Sisters
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote
Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena
Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6

User avatar
materpillar
the caterpillar
Posts: 1294
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: Unlisted
Location: Ohio

Post by materpillar » 3 years ago

DirkGently wrote:
3 years ago
NZ reentered lockdown last week, so I won't get to play it for another 10 days or so. It's assembled and waiting though.

AFAIK there are only 4 legal slivers in a zirda deck: Sliver Overlord itself, Sliver Queen (not terribly exciting in a world where you can't run slivers), Homing Sliver (redundant with sliver overlord and also not very exciting in a world without slivers), and Dregscape Sliver (which did make the cut and actually seems pretty spicy...I kinda wish we could run Ashes of the Fallen!) Every other sliver has static abilities, not activated abilities.
Oh, herp derp, I mis-thought about how some of those slivers worked.
DirkGently wrote:
3 years ago
Hence why I find this idea so interesting, because I'm not doing changeling tribal "just because", I'm doing changeling tribal because wtf else do you do with Overlord + Zirda? This might actually be the best way to go about it.

Swifties probably not, but greaves isn't a bad idea since it makes most mana dorks mana-neutral or better. The shroud probably isn't super relevant though, power is pretty distributed outside of a few outliers, most of which we intend to activate the turn we play them.
I was thinking less for the shroud and more to speed up the deck since you have so many tap abilities on everything.

User avatar
DirkGently
My wins are unconditional
Posts: 4519
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by DirkGently » 3 years ago

materpillar wrote:
3 years ago
I was thinking less for the shroud and more to speed up the deck since you have so many tap abilities on everything.
Hmm, yeah there are kind of a lot, despite how many are mana only, or "tap x untapped" which don't care about summoning sickness. I wonder if maybe I should include Hall of the Bandit Lord or some of the other haste-enabling lands. The elemental one even has some cute changeling synergy.

Activating Skyshroud Poacher the turn I play him would be pretty slick. I can't wait to skyshroud into the land-stealing dude eot, and then untap and ruin some lives.

Illusionist's Bracers also seems real strong. Tragically Rings of Brighthearth isn't an option.
Perm Decks
Phelddagrif - Kaervek - Golos - Zirilan

Flux Decks
Gollum - Lobelia - Minthara - Plargg2 - Solphim - Otharri - Graaz - Ratchet - Soundwave - Slicer - Gale - Rootha - Kagemaro - Blorpityblorpboop - Kayla - SliverQueen - Ivy - Falco - Gluntch - Charlatan/Wilson - Garth - Kros - Anthousa - Shigeki - Light-Paws - Lukka - Sefris - Ebondeath - Rokiric - Garth - Nixilis - Grist - Mavinda - Kumano - Nezahal - Mavinda - Plargg - Plargg - Extus - Plargg - Oracle - Kardur - Halvar - Tergrid - Egon - Cosima - Halana+Livio - Jeska+Falthis+Obosh - Yeva - Akiri+Zirda - Lady Sun - Nahiri - Korlash - Overlord+Zirda - Chisei - Athreos2 - Akim - Cazur+Ukkima - Otrimi - Otrimi - Kalamax - Ayli+Lurrus - Clamilton - Gonti - Heliod2 - Ayula - Thassa2 - Gallia - Purphoros2 - Rankle - Uro - Rayami - Gargos - Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa - Ashling1 - Angus - Arcum - Talrand - Chainer - Higure - Kumano - Scion - Teferi1 - Uyo - Sisters
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote
Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena
Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6

User avatar
DirkGently
My wins are unconditional
Posts: 4519
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by DirkGently » 3 years ago

I've run this a decent number of times now, and amusing I think the problem with it is Elvish Archdruid. That card in tandem with Mirror Entity is too gross. You can go from an innocent-ish board of a handful of random creatures, then eot grab some changelings, cheat archdruid into play with Skyshroud Poacher, and win the game. It's one of those abilities that looks really funny but gets old real quick.

Another staple of the deck has been shields of velis vel. Easy to gain control of a whole board with that thing, as an instant even. That part is more funny than evil, though.

Lot of other stuff hasn't hit so well, but I think the problem is that, with how much tutoring exists in the deck, there's just not much reason to focus on something like Agadeem Occultist or whatever. Part of the risk of playing a commander with a tutor ability on it, I suppose.

Overall it's been cute, but not really my speed. Time to repurpose that Zirda into my Akiri deck.
Perm Decks
Phelddagrif - Kaervek - Golos - Zirilan

Flux Decks
Gollum - Lobelia - Minthara - Plargg2 - Solphim - Otharri - Graaz - Ratchet - Soundwave - Slicer - Gale - Rootha - Kagemaro - Blorpityblorpboop - Kayla - SliverQueen - Ivy - Falco - Gluntch - Charlatan/Wilson - Garth - Kros - Anthousa - Shigeki - Light-Paws - Lukka - Sefris - Ebondeath - Rokiric - Garth - Nixilis - Grist - Mavinda - Kumano - Nezahal - Mavinda - Plargg - Plargg - Extus - Plargg - Oracle - Kardur - Halvar - Tergrid - Egon - Cosima - Halana+Livio - Jeska+Falthis+Obosh - Yeva - Akiri+Zirda - Lady Sun - Nahiri - Korlash - Overlord+Zirda - Chisei - Athreos2 - Akim - Cazur+Ukkima - Otrimi - Otrimi - Kalamax - Ayli+Lurrus - Clamilton - Gonti - Heliod2 - Ayula - Thassa2 - Gallia - Purphoros2 - Rankle - Uro - Rayami - Gargos - Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa - Ashling1 - Angus - Arcum - Talrand - Chainer - Higure - Kumano - Scion - Teferi1 - Uyo - Sisters
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote
Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena
Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic

Return to “Decklists”