Meren is a powerful commander that rewards players for sacrificing creatures, making every sacrifice count. She can recur creatures from the graveyard each turn, helping you build a board presence that’s hard to stop.
Meren’s Strengths
Who knew death could be so fashionable? Meren of Clan Nel Toth certainly rocks the look, with her constantly growing army of undead minions. This Golgari commander brings a unique set of abilities to the table, allowing for a constantly growing collection of creatures.
One of Meren’s key strengths lies in the way she gains experience counters. She receives one counter each time a creature she controls (or any creature, really) bites the dust. By racking up these experience tokens, Meren is able to recur creatures from her graveyard with ease.
That’s where the fun begins – with Meren’s ability to bring creatures back from the dead. With enough experience counters and the right assortment of creatures, you can create a useful loop of death and rebirth, bringing back fallen soldiers turn after turn.
Of course, you’ll need a way to sacrifice those creatures in the first place. That’s where Meren’s ability to use sacrifice outlets comes in. Whether it’s through cards like Altar of Dementia or Viscera Seer, Meren is able to fuel her graveyard and her engines by sacrificing her own creatures.
With these abilities on her side, Meren is a formidable commander to face. She excels at creating engines that generate value turn after turn, all while depriving her opponent of their own resources. Keep an eye out for cards like Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest and Blood Artist, which can help take Meren’s strategy to the next level.
Deck Strategy
Meren’s reliance on creatures and the graveyard requires some careful planning when it comes to crafting the deck. Ramp and mana generation are crucial components that allow players to access Meren’s abilities as quickly as possible. Cards like [[Sakura-Tribe Elder]] and [[Cultivate]] are great options for ensuring that you are hitting your land drops early while making sure you have enough mana to execute your game plan.
When selecting creatures to put in your deck, it’s important to think about more than just sheer power. Creature selection and timing can make all the difference in a game of Commander. Cards like [[Solemn Simulacrum]] and [[Wood Elves]] provide value on both the attacking and blocking fronts, while [[Caustic Caterpillar]] gives players an early-game answer to opponent’s pesky enchantments and artifacts. Timing is also key to Meren’s strategy as players need to properly sequence their creatures to get as much value as possible with each use of her ability.
Finding the balance between engines like sacrifice outlets and ways to recur creatures can be a challenge. Players need to weigh the pros and cons of every card they consider including. Including cards like [[Altar of Dementia]] and [[Viscera Seer]] provide good early-game sacrifice outlets, while [[Eternal Witness]] and [[Grave Titan]] can help develop a solid board presence. It’s important to remember that in a Commander game, card advantage is king. Finding the balance between engines can be difficult, but it’s absolutely essential for a successful Meren deck.
Win Conditions
When it comes to winning with Meren of Clan Nel Toth, there are several paths you can take. If you’re looking to overwhelm your opponents with sheer numbers, focus on recurring and sacrificing creatures to build up a board state that’s simply too much for your opponents to handle. With Meren’s ability to bring creatures back from the graveyard, you can create a never-ending stream of attackers and blockers that will make it difficult for your opponents to keep up.
For those who prefer a more intricate victory, comboing off with Meren is a viable option. With the right combination of cards, you can create infinite loops that allow you to drain your opponents’ life totals or outright win the game. One popular combo involves using Meren’s ability to bring back Solemn Simulacrum repeatedly, which allows you to ramp and draw cards until you have everything you need to win.
If neither of those options appeals to you, consider milling your opponents out with cards like Altar of Dementia and Mesmeric Orb. While this strategy can take a while to execute, it can be incredibly satisfying to slowly whittle away at your opponents’ decks until they have nothing left.
No matter which win condition you choose, it’s important to keep in mind that Meren is susceptible to board wipes and targeted removal. Make sure you have protection and removal spells at the ready to counteract your opponents’ potential answers. With careful planning and some luck, Meren of Clan Nel Toth can be a formidable commander to take into battle.
Key Cards
First on the list is Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest. This creature is a beast in any deck that incorporates sacrifice outlets. Not only does Mazirek himself benefit from sacrificing creatures (in the form of +1/+1 counters), but each of your other creatures also receive a counter whenever one dies. This beefs up your whole board and makes it harder for your opponents to successfully attack you.
Next up is Blood Artist, a creature that deals one damage to each opponent whenever a creature dies. This can really start to add up over time, especially when combined with other sacrifice outlets. Not to mention, gaining life from your opponents’ losses is always a nice bonus.
Lastly, Birthing Pod is a classic card that’s useful in any deck that involves creatures. Sacrificing a creature to use the pod’s ability lets you search your library for a creature card with one more mana value than the sacrificed creature, effectively allowing you to cheat out bigger and better creatures as the game progresses.
Of course, there are plenty of other cards out there that are great for a Meren deck, but these three serve as great starting points. Remember to choose cards that complement your overall strategy and playstyle, and have fun experimenting with different combinations.
Common Pitfalls
While Meren of Clan Nel Toth can be a powerful commander, there are some common pitfalls that players should be aware of. Focusing too much on experience counters can lead to a lopsided game if the commander is repeatedly removed or unable to be played. It’s important to remember that Meren’s ability to recur creatures is still valuable even without experience counters.
Another common pitfall is not including enough protection or removal in the deck. Without these key elements, opponents can easily disrupt Meren’s engine and prevent the deck from functioning. Players should include a mix of spot removal and board wipes to deal with problematic creatures and cards.
Finally, it’s important not to overvalue certain combo pieces. While combos can be powerful, relying too heavily on specific cards can lead to disappointment if they are disrupted or unavailable. Players should focus on building a well-rounded deck that can win through multiple avenues, rather than relying solely on a specific combo.
Remember the key to victory is adaptability and having a well-balanced and versatile deck.
As we wrap up this Meren of Clan Nel Toth Commander Deck Analysis, remember to play to Meren’s strengths, such as gaining experience counters, recurring creatures through sacrifice outlets, and balancing engines. Use key cards like Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest, and Blood Artist to overwhelm the board with creatures and combo off for infinite loops. Avoid common pitfalls, such as focusing too much on experience counters and overvaluing certain combo pieces. With a solid strategy and some luck, you’ll be milling opponents and securing victory in no time. Happy playing!
Combos
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds + Cloudstone Curio + Wirewood Symbiote + Elvish Mystic
Results: Infinite colored mana. Infinite ETB. Infinite LTB. Infinite tap triggers. Infinite storm count.
Prerequisites: All permanents on the battlefield. Selvala and Elvish Mystic do not have summoning sickness. You control a creature with power four or greater.
Steps: Activate Elvish Mystic by tapping it, adding 🌲. Activate Selvala by paying 🌲 and tapping it, adding at least 1🌲🌲🌲. Activate Wirewood Symbiote by returning Elvish Mystic to your hand, untapping Selvala. Cast Elvish Mystic by paying 🌲. Elvish Mystic enters the battlefield, triggering Cloudstone Curio, returning Wirewood Symbiote to your hand. Cast Wirewood Symbiote by paying 🌲. Wirewood Symbiote enters the battlefield, triggering Cloudstone Curio, returning nothing to your hand. Repeat from step 2.
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds + Cloudstone Curio + Wirewood Symbiote + Fyndhorn Elves
Results: Infinite colored mana. Infinite ETB. Infinite LTB. Infinite tap triggers. Infinite storm count.
Prerequisites: All permanents on the battlefield. Selvala and Fyndhorn Elves do not have summoning sickness. You control a creature with power four or greater.
Steps: Activate Fyndhorn Elves by tapping it, adding 🌲. Activate Selvala by paying 🌲 and tapping it, adding at least 1🌲🌲🌲. Activate Wirewood Symbiote by returning Fyndhorn Elves to your hand, untapping Selvala. Cast Fyndhorn Elves by paying 🌲. Fyndhorn Elves enters the battlefield, triggering Cloudstone Curio, returning Wirewood Symbiote to your hand. Cast Wirewood Symbiote by paying 🌲. Wirewood Symbiote enters the battlefield, triggering Cloudstone Curio, returning nothing to your hand. Repeat from step 2.
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds + Cloudstone Curio + Wirewood Symbiote + Llanowar Elves
Results: Infinite colored mana. Infinite ETB. Infinite LTB. Infinite tap triggers. Infinite storm count.
Prerequisites: All permanents on the battlefield. Selvala and Llanowar Elves do not have summoning sickness. You control a creature with power four or greater.
Steps: Activate Llanowar Elves by tapping it, adding 🌲. Activate Selvala by paying 🌲 and tapping it, adding at least 1🌲🌲🌲. Activate Wirewood Symbiote by returning Llanowar Elves to your hand, untapping Selvala. Cast Llanowar Elves by paying 🌲. Llanowar Elves enters the battlefield, triggering Cloudstone Curio, returning Wirewood Symbiote to your hand. Cast Wirewood Symbiote by paying 🌲. Wirewood Symbiote enters the battlefield, triggering Cloudstone Curio, returning nothing to your hand. Repeat from step 2.
Meren of Clan Nel Toth + Coretapper + Magistrate’s Scepter
Results: Infinite turns.
Prerequisites: All permanents on the battlefield. You have at least 1 experience counter. Coretapper does not have summoning sickness.
Steps: Tap Coretapper to put a charge counter on Magistrate’s Scepter. Sacrifice Coretapper to put 2 counters on Magistrate’s Scepter. Meren gives you 1 experience counter. Tap Magistrate’s Scepter and remove 3 counters to take an extra turn. Move to end step. Meren triggers, returning Coretapper from your graveyard to the battlefield. Repeat.