"Marchesa , The Black Rose: Bloodied Thorns"

"Marchesa , The Black Rose: Bloodied Thorns"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. 

The Dethrone mechanic. A wonderful way of growing creatures while taking down an opponent a notch. I view creatures that have Dethrone as a modified Slith , creatures that get a +1/+1 when they deal damage. As an added twist though creatures need to hurt a player with the highest life total or tied for most life to get the +1/+1 counter. This is an interesting bit that would make no one safe on the battlefield. It limits the mechanic somewhat since it can only get the stat bonus if it attacks that specific opponent. In an EDH game , things are somewhat unpredictable since those with the highest life total could easily have these points dwindle and soon you could find yourself paying dearly for testing the patience of the person next in line. They might remove your growing threat with spot removal or worse yet just wipe out everything on the board because they want to keep their life points intact.

Of course ,there is a Lord or in this case a Lady that will support the creatures with the mechanic and even if they don't have Dethrone  , they will have it when she comes into play. Enter Marchesa, The Black Rose. Having Grixis(Blue/Black/Red) colors and at 4 mana she could easily shape the battlefield to your advantage.

She herself has Dethrone so she could bulk up that already big 3/3 frame. She is as strong as a Beast!( they usually come in at 3/3 , just ask Garruk). She also gives the mechanic to all your creatures. Let us let our imaginations run wild for a bit. Imagine having any of the titans in play. Frost , Grave and Inferno. 6/6 not enough? they provide you a bonus when attacking and then they get bigger. 

To top that all of , Marchesa has a particularly nasty ability that lets any creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it return to the battlefield at the beginning of your next end step. As long as a mass removal doesn't exile creatures or shuffle them into your library you could be sure that you would have a horde in your next end step and assuming that Marchesa also has a +1/+1 counter on her then you have creatures that could potentially come back again and again. Grixis creatures have some really nasty come into play abilities too. Any of the  Primordials could provide you with so much advantage as well when they come back into play on your side.Oh and let us not forget....Dethrone has a Dragon!

One of the risks in this dream scenario is when Marchesa gets taken out before any of your Dethrone shenanigans takes place. So what would ensure her survival in case an unwanted spot removal or mass removal pops up? Well a drop of dragon blood of course. You see Dethrone doesn't care where the +1/+1 counter comes from as long as a creature you control has it. It comes back.

Just in case you don't have the good old trusty Dragon Blood , well you could also Power Conduit some +1/+1 counters on creatures that you want to beef up or save. I think Dethrone will be one of those things that players will flock to in no time at all. I mean every one is a Slith that could come back with Marchesa in play? What is not to like?

I would like to think that creatures with Dethrone are Marchesa's thorns. Each of them demanding blood , each of them thriving in the violence.  I can't wait to play a Grixis Dethrone deck.