A couple weeks ago, I posted my first version of a Commander deck featuring Alesha, Who Smiles at Death. This is a major revision after searching through my collection and reconsidering everything. Minor changes may still happen, but @generikat tested this last week, and it performed well.
REMOVED
Crumbling Vestige
Demonic Rising
Gallant Cavalry
Gleaming Barrier
Kor Celebrant
Pay No Heed
Phyrexian Rager
Swaggering Corsair
Vizier of the Scorpion
ADDED
Anathemancer
Dreadbore
Flameshadow Conjuring
Havoc Festival
Kathari Bomber
Perpetual Timepiece
Priest of Urabrask
Rakdos Charm
Repay in Kind
That's just 9 cards, or 9% of the total deck, but it completely changes the potential to wreak havoc, and not just because Havoc Festival halves life each turn. Anathemancer is another example of the kind of card I needed to add. The ability when it comes into play is powerful in a format like Commander where people tend to run many non-basic lands, and Alesha lets it be replayed without the extra Unearth cost or exiling the card.
As for the rest, Dreadbore can eliminate a problematic Planeswalker or creature. Flameshadow Conjuring creates duplicates of cards I hard-cast or pull from the graveyard with Alesha. Kathari Bomber makes bonus goblin tokens like the existing Ponyback Brigade card, and Alesha lets me dodge that Unearth mechanic again. I can stock the graveyard or return the graveyard to my library to dodge graveyard hate with Perpetual Timepiece, and it serves as a backup for Elixir of Life to counter mill decks. I added Priest of Urabrask instead of removing Priest of Gix, reasoning the mana repayment worthwhile. Rakdos Charm is just a good utility card. Finally, Repay in Kind levels the playing field with serious aggression.
I still need to see whether I can come up with a good way to reliably stock the bottom of the graveyard for Grenzo, and I think I may replace the Myr mana dorks since the mana curve and land base work pretty well without them. I may add War Priest of Thune for a third mono-color priest that adds removal. I found my Whip of Erebos, and it's a better fit in the deck it's in now, so I'm not sure whether to buy another copy or skip it.
Which additional cards would you suggest? Should I be a complete jerk and switch to using cards with Infect instead to earn ultimate hate, or build more toward Aleha as a Voltron commander with more artifacts and enchantments? You may earn $PIZZA or $BEER for good suggestions!
