Today marks this blog’s first official post about Grixis, the Blue-Red-Black color combination from Shards of Alara block.
The focus of this article will be the backbone of Grixis, effectively indicating cards that are a good baseline for any building any Grixis deck in EDH.
First, it is important to note that Grixis has many unique and varying identities in EDH, some such themes being Spellslinger and Reanimator. These types of decks both utilize their graveyard as a resource, whether as a storage space for useful spells later on, or a way to circumvent the high cost of getting a powerful creature into play. Both strategies can benefit from cards such as Forbidden Alchemy or Entomb. Forbidden Alchemy provides a bit of filtering to find land drops or situational answers, while also supplying additional targets in the graveyard. Entomb is effectively a Demonic Tutor for one less mana for some decks, and at instant speed, can set up a perfect subsequent turn with limited time for opponents to disrupt.
Grixis also has a tremendous strength in varying forms of draw power. Players can choose between effects that Reforge the Soul that can fill the graveyard of all players for reanimation targets while also drawing each player a fresh new hand, opt for low CMC draw spells that cost life as well, such as Night’s Whipser, or merely instead choose direct draw power in the form of cards such as Deep Analysis. These options will vary from deck to deck, as each general and player may have a different preference.
Removal in Grixis is pretty solid, as the color combination can destroy any type of permanent except for enchantments, which it can bounce if necessary. Two of the premium removal spells are Crosis’s Charm and Dreadbore. The former is a modal spell, with great utility in answering just about any problematic card on the board at instant speed. The latter is merely an efficient answer to any creature or planeswalker.
Speaking of planeswalkers, there are a great many possible planeswalkers to run in a Grixis deck. The three most versatile are Dack Fayden, (the Greatest Thief in the Multiverse), Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy (who does not start as a planeswalker, but definitely has a home in many a deck on either side), and Liliana Vess. Dack Fayden, besides stealing Sol Rings, provides looting and helps put desirable cards into the graveyard. Dack’s plus can also be used on opponents in niche situations where that could be beneficial (such as doing so while controlling a Notion Thief). Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy also a solid Looter, but differs when he transforms into Jace Telepath Unbound. Jace’s minus allows Grixis players to rebuy instants and sorceries to furter reap their benefits. The best part to this ability is that the chosen card stays in the graveyard if you don’t cast it. Jace’s -3 can be used to target a counterspell “just in case”. Finally, Liliana Vess is a planeswalkers whose discard helps disrupt opponents, but can also pitch cards into the graveyard to be reanimated. Her -2 tutors any card to the top of the library, where it is typically safe from opponent interaction, and if perchance it happens to get milled, that’s just another resource for Grixis. Her -8 also allows Grixis decks to take over the game through mass reanimation of all graveyards to any so fortunate as to keep her around long enough.
That’s all for now! Thank you for reading! Let me know what you liked/disliked about this article and if there are any other standout cards that you think I overlooked. Hopefully, I’ll be able to conduct further analysis and write about the Grixis wizards from the new Commander 2017 deck soon.
~The Poster Child of Grixis
About Time: A Grixis Post Today marks this blog's first official post about Grixis, the Blue-Red-Black color combination from Shards of Alara block.
