The most flavorful moment ever in competitive Magic was just after the release of Shadows Over Innistrad. Modern players discovered Nahiri, the Harbinger to be a ruthless finisher when bringing forth Emrakul, the Aeons Torn.

In solving the format, the community also solved Innistrad's mystery. The story soon confirmed Nahiri built a Drownyard Temple to tow the Eldrazi titan through the Blind Eternities to the plane claimed by Sorin, so the arrogant vampire could experience all that he loved warped by cosmic horror. As a lithomancer, Nahiri even locked him in a stone wall to force him to watch.

To be fair, Sorin was kind of a dick. He promised to aid Nahiri, should the Eldrazi escape their prison on her plane of Zendikar. He didn't, and they trashed the place. Nahiri confronted him, learned he had isolated himself to create the Helvault and Avacyn as protective measures for his own plane. "WTF, Sorin!" Nahri said, and in reply he trapped her in the bleak void of the Helvault for, like, ever, leaving her nothing to do but plot her revenge. And she got him back good.

The plane of Innistrad darkened with tentacles, cracked with madness, and resounded with the frenzied chanting of, "Emrakul! Emrakul, the Promised End!" Demons hid. Angels fused into Eldrazi horrors and slaughtered the innocent. And Sorin was forced to eradicate his own creation in an Anguished Unmaking. Nahiri's revenge ravaged the entire plane, and you can do the same at your friendly local game of Oathbreaker.

Nahiri + Through the Breach | Oathbreaker | A.E. Marling

• Locket (2)
• 1 Nahiri, the Harbinger
• 1 Through the Breach

• Creatures (16)
• 1 Aether Membrane
• 1 Artisan of Kozilek
• 1 Conduit of Ruin
• 1 Emrakul's Hatcher
• 1 Emrakul, the Promised End
• 1 Imposing Sovereign
• 1 It That Betrays
• 1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
• 1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
• 1 Thraben Inspector
• 1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
• 1 Vent Sentinel
• 1 Wall of Granite
• 1 Wall of Omens
• 1 Wall of Shards
• 1 Wall of Stone

• Instants (3)
• 1 Fiery Temper
• 1 Magmaquake
• 1 Thunderous Wrath

• Sorceries (7)
• 1 Avacyn's Judgment
• 1 Blasphemous Act
• 1 Declaration in Stone
• 1 Disaster Radius
• 1 Faithless Looting
• 1 Nahiri's Wrath
• 1 Righteous Fury

• Enchantments (2)
• 1 Citadel Siege
• 1 Land Tax

• Artifacts (6)
• 1 Arcane Signet
• 1 Bag of Holding
• 1 Icy Manipulator
• 1 Talisman of Conviction
• 1 Wayfarer's Bauble
• 1 Tamiyo's Journal

• Lands (24)
• 6 Plains
• 7 Mountain
• 1 Arid Mesa
• 1 Boros Garrison
• 1 Clifftop Retreat
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Drownyard Temple
• 1 Kor Haven
• 1 Myriad Landscape
• 1 Rugged Prairie
• 1 Sacred Foundry
• 1 Strip Mine
• 1 Temple of the False God

Buy This Deck Export text format

The Titan in the Room

No, you're not going insane (yet). There's no Emrakul, the Aeons Torn in the above decklist. Technically, that card is banned in Oathbreaker. Realistically, you can do whatever your friends agree to in a casual format. First ask your playgroup if you may include this iconic card that's true to the story. If they say yes, replace It That Betrays. If no, get better friends.

Seriously though, Emrakul only annihilates one person at a time. That's less powerful than most Planeswalker ultimates in multiplayer. Even if you have to keep her original card Imprisoned in the Moon, you can still deal thirteen damage on the fly with Emrakul, the Promised End. I'll even include a second version of the deck that is better able to hard cast her.

This deck with Through the Breach as a signature spell does exactly what you expect of Nahiri, the Harbinger. If the opponents don't meddle with her machinations, she will unleash Eldrazi titans. Its power is obvious. Perhaps too obvious, and if you're at a less competitive table the other players are likely to mend their broken oaths and bring the Gatewatch back together to defeat you. Again, the second version of this deck is more devious and better able to thwart such alliances.

The play patterns of Through the Breach are clear. They're on the art of the most recent printing. The Eldrazi are a comin', and unless a person has the expansive mind of Ugin they're not likely to consider the potential benefits to the Multiverse in letting all their permanents be annihilated. When your game plan is face up and in your opponents' faces, you will likely draw aggro in Multiplayer. Now let's talk about how you win in spite of it.

If everyone at the table has a deck of a similar or greater power level, they may not be able to team up on you. An opposing Mu Yanling, Sky Dancer about to ultimate may demand even more concern than your Planeswalker, especially if you have done your due diligence and set up an oath of vengeance.

At the start of the game, or after the first few turns, focus Nahiri's ire against a specific opposing Planeswalker. Have fun with inventing how this character wronged her. Or, you can simply focus on the opposing 'Walker's power or the player's powerful start. Regardless, by squaring yourself against a single foe, the other two players are less likely to see your Through the Breach as a threat. They may even start rooting for you, chanting Emrakul themselves, delighted at the downfall of another player.

The second thing you can do is play walls. As much as opponents might want to attack Nahiri, the Harbinger, no one wants to waste their damage attacking into walls. Unlike sorcery kills spells, walls reduce aggression. Unless, that is, you're trapped in one like Sorin. To reference the vampire lord's indignity, I included Wall of Stone and Wall of Granite. If you don't think that's funny, feel free to pick stronger walls.

No one should underestimate the strength of the first deck. This second one can be even stronger, thanks to its strategy, despite its weaker and more budget-friendly cards. Arguably it even has better flavor. It doesn't need every last pricy Eldrazi, simply two, to fulfill its Vengeful Dreams.

Nahiri + Vengeful Dreams | Oathbreaker | A.E. Marling

• Locket (2)
• 1 Nahiri, the Harbinger
• 1 Vengeful Dreams

• Creatures (14)
• 1 Angel of the Dire Hour
• 1 Archangel Avacyn
• 1 Archangel of Tithes
• 1 Avacynian Priest
• 1 Bruna, the Fading Light
• 1 Emrakul, the Promised End
• 1 Extricator of Sin
• 1 Gisela, the Broken Blade
• 1 It That Betrays
• 1 Stern Constable
• 1 Sunblast Angel
• 1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
• 1 Thraben Inspector
• 1 Topplegeist

• Instants (5)
• 1 Fiery Temper
• 1 Magmatic Sinkhole
• 1 Through the Breach
• 1 Thunderous Wrath
• 1 Turn Against

• Sorceries (8)
• 1 Alchemist's Greeting
• 1 Avacyn's Judgment
• 1 Declaration in Stone
• 1 Descend upon the Sinful
• 1 Faithless Looting
• 1 Gift of Estates
• 1 Nahiri's Wrath
• 1 Righteous Fury

• Enchantments (1)
• 1 Spirit Cairn

• Artifacts (6)
• 1 Arcane Encyclopedia
• 1 Arcane Signet
• 1 Bag of Holding
• 1 Tamiyo's Journal
• 1 Unstable Obelisk
• 1 Wayfarer's Bauble

• Lands (24)
• 6 Mountain
• 6 Plains
• 1 Clifftop Retreat
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Drownyard Temple
• 1 Evolving Wilds
• 1 Kor Haven
• 1 Myriad Landscape
• 1 Needle Spires
• 1 Rugged Prairie
• 1 Strip Mine
• 1 Temple of the False God
• 1 Terramorphic Expanse
• 1 Wind-Scarred Crag

Buy This Deck Export text format

Fear Her Vengeance

In the first decklist, you always want to cast the signature spell Through the Breach. In the second, you never want to cast Vengeful Dreams, but the threat of it lurking in your locket can scare off multiple armies. Walls can reduce aggression, but terror of instant retribution can fend off even more. Here you want to leave mana open every turn. Swear on your Stoneforge Blade to end any creatures that dare slight you. The looming heat of your retribution may make everyone at the table shy away. You can then use any unspent mana to draw cards from your artifacts.

Both decks can gain political clout with tappers. Stop players at the start of their combat step and ask their intentions. If they can't see the wisdom of attacking someone else, tap their creature. Nahiri, the Harbinger can then bring her molten blade down upon it.

The second deck synergizes with your Planeswalker through your graveyard. (All the Eldrazi titans in the first list tend to shuffle it away.) By choosing what you discard, you can gain blissful delirium and bring into reach the casting cost of Emrakul, the Promised End.

Revel in the madness you cause, in the other players and the hapless angels of Innistrad. The divine beings were pure, but not as pure as your need for vengeance. Forge them into another blade, and hurl them all into the hearts of those who dared wrong you.