Tymna and Kamahl: Hate Hate Hate

[TheGildedGoose]

I've long struggled to build an Abzan deck I genuinely like. It's my favorite three-color combination, but the fundamental problem with the color combination (other than an overreliance on graveyard strategies) is that it's a color that largely plays fair Magic, and high-powered EDH isn't very fair. The closest I've come to enjoying the color combination in a fair manner is via Hatebears with Tymna the Weaver, who needs no introduction, and either Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa for extra evasion or Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper for sustain and life gain and drain synergies.. I love disruptive strategies and making the game increasingly difficult for my opponents is right up my alley.

I'm a joy to play against.

However, the problem with Hatebears in EDH has always been closing the game out. 120 life isn't an easy amount to chew through with 2/Xs and 3/Xs, and comboing out is anathema to the Hatebear ethos. Often times, since Bears are ultimately easier to remove than lock stax pieces, opponents are able to wriggle free from your grasp and are able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It's extremely demoralizing to realize that you accidentally played Kingmaker.

Enter Kamahl, Heart of Krosa. An 8 mana Overrun on a stick isn't exactly a great deal, but it helps to solve the fundamental weakness of the deck and given the slow burn nature of the deck, it's not an unreasonable cost. Just 2 or 3 turns of Kamahl pumping your board up seems like it would close games out.

Anyway, on to the list:

Hate Hate Hate

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

Commander:

1 Tymna the Weaver

1 Kamahl, Heart of Krosa

Lands: 36

1 Arid Mesa

1 Bloodstained Mire

1 Flooded Strand

1 Marsh Flats

1 Misty Rainforest

1 Polluted Delta

1 Verdant Catacombs

1 Windswept Heath

1 Wooded Foothills

1 Command Tower

1 Indatha Triome

1 Murmuring Bosk

1 Godless Shrine

1 Overgrown Tomb

1 Temple Garden

1 Horizon Canopy

1 Nurturing Peatland

1 Silent Clearing

1 Bountiful Promenade

1 Brushland

1 Canopy Vista

1 Overgrown Farmland

1 Scattered Groves

1 Sunpetal Grove

1 Boseiju, Who Endures

1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire

1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire

1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth

1 Cavern of Souls

1 Bojuka Bog

1 Forest

3 Plains

1 Swamp

Ramp: 11

1 Arbor Elf

1 Avacyn's Pilgrim

1 Birds of Paradise

1 Deathrite Shaman

1 Elves of Deep Shadow

1 Elvish Mystic

1 Fyndhorn Elves

1 Llanowar Elves

1 Sol Ring

1 Utopia Sprawl

1 Wild Growth

Hate: 22

1 Deafening Silence

1 Collector Ouphe

1 Dauthi Voidwalker

1 Drannith Magistrate

1 Ethersworn Canonist

1 Hushbringer

1 Kataki, War's Wage

1 Remorseful Cleric

1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

1 Archon of Emeria

1 Aven Mindcensor

1 Eidolon of Rhetoric

1 Hushwing Gryff

1 Kunoros, Hound of Athreos

1 Opposition Agent

1 Rule of Law

1 Sanctum Prelate

1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar

1 Vryn Wingmare

1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence

1 Yasharn, Implacable Earth

1 Ashaya, Soul of the WIld

Protection: 7

1 Giver of Runes

1 Mother of Runes

1 Grand Abolisher

1 Heroic Intervention

1 Selfless Spirit

1 Flawless Maneuver

1 Teferi's Protection

Removal: 11

1 Caustic Caterpillar

1 Assassin's Trophy

1 Cathar Commando

1 Damn

1 Vanishing Verse

1 Anguished Unmaking

1 Beast Within

1 Generous Gift

1 Mythos of Nethroi

1 Retribution of the Meek

1 Austere Command

Tutor/Draw: 11

1 Esper Sentinel

1 Imperial Seal

1 Vampiric Tutor

1 Worldly Tutor

1 Dark Confidant

1 Demonic Tutor

1 Eladamri's Call

1 Fiend Artisan

1 Finale of Devastation

1 Ramunap Excavator

1 Recruiter of the Guard

Approximate Total Cost:

So, it's basically the cEDH version altered to fit the high powered/optimized meta. I'll have more to say later, I just wanted to get this down to see if there's anything glaring omitted.

[duducrash]

Any particular reason not to run Gaddock Teeg ? It shuts down 2 of your cards, should be goooood

I tried runing Yasharn, Implacable Earth for a while, doesnt it make weird with the fetches, Selfless Spirit, dauthi voidwalker, fiend artisan, carterpilar and cathars commando?

[Myllior]

I'll second Gaddock Teeg. He shuts down a lot of the higher CMC interaction that becomes more common as you move away from cEDH, providing a measure of protection to your board.
Speaking of protection, running either Shalai, Voice of Plenty or Saryth, the Viper's Fang can shut down a lot of spot removal. Saryth's deathtouch ability also works neatly with Kamahl's trample.

On Caustic Caterpillar and Cathar Commando, I'd replace one of them with Outland Liberator // Frenzied Trapbreaker, probably the Caterpillar. The nightbound side of the card neatly sidesteps Yasharn, Implacable Earth.

The main omission that stands out to me is Archon of Valor's Reach. I can never praise this card enough for its ability to single-handedly shut down entire decks.

On the removal side, I see you're aiming for somewhat asymmetric creature wipes by going almost entirely power 3 or less and CMC 3 or less. Have you considered Winds of Abandon?

[TheGildedGoose]

Any particular reason not to run Gaddock Teeg ? It shuts down 2 of your cards, should be goooood

I tried runing Yasharn, Implacable Earth for a while, doesnt it make weird with the fetches, Selfless Spirit, dauthi voidwalker, fiend artisan, carterpilar and cathars commando?

Easy exchange here. Originally I left Teeg out because I'm used to running expensive asymmetrical wipes, but those ended up not happening. I love Yasharn as a hate piece but I'm running so many sac critters like you mention that it's not worth it. Great suggestions.

Speaking of protection, running either Shalai, Voice of Plenty or Saryth, the Viper's Fang can shut down a lot of spot removal. Saryth's deathtouch ability also works neatly with Kamahl's trample.

I saw Saryth in the cEDH version but I wasn't convinced. I didn't think about the deathtouch factor, which changes things. I really love preemptively shutting down removal.

On Caustic Caterpillar and Cathar Commando, I'd replace one of them with Outland Liberator // Frenzied Trapbreaker, probably the Caterpillar. The nightbound side of the card neatly sidesteps Yasharn, Implacable Earth.

I'll be honest: I don't want to keep track of day and night. That's the only reason.

The main omission that stands out to me is Archon of Valor's Reach. I can never praise this card enough for its ability to single-handedly shut down entire decks.

I saw this one in the cEDH variant as well and I think it's less good in lower powered metas where interaction is at more varied speeds and efficiency. On the other hand, being able to generally choose between spot removal and board wipes on an impressive and mildly efficient body is also worth running as a top end beater.

On the removal side, I see you're aiming for somewhat asymmetric creature wipes by going almost entirely power 3 or less and CMC 3 or less. Have you considered Winds of Abandon?

A fourth wipe (and third asymmetrical one) is probably exactly where I want to be.