Coram, the Undertaker Commander Deck Tech | Undertaking the Jund

Coram, the Undertaker by Kai Carpenter

Setting sail into Modern Horizons 3, we discover that the backup commander for the Graveyard Overdrive pre-con may be the real standout card from the decklist. Coram, the Undertaker, is just what Jund has been seeking for a long time. Boasting a phenomenal graveyard ability, Coram synergizes perfectly with the age-old term "Jund 'em Out." His mechanics not only reinforce traditional Jund strategies but also open up new avenues for innovative play, making him a versatile and exciting addition to any Jund enthusiast's collection.

With Coram at the helm, players can expect to see a resurgence of powerful graveyard interactions, breathing new life into classic archetypes while providing fresh opportunities for tactical mastery.

What Does Coram, the Undertaker Even Do?

You may be asking, "What can Coram bring to the table that The Beamtown Bullies, Henzie "Toolbox" Torre or Korvold, Fae-Cursed King don't?" Well, I'm glad you asked. While appearing innocuous at first glance, Coram's ability allows us to play not only from our own graveyard but from our opponents' as well. This gives us a significantly larger card pool to choose from, expanding our strategic options. Additionally, Coram features a pseudo-Necrogyf effect, making his power equal to the highest power in any graveyard.

That being said, in this undertaking, we aim to mill ourselves and our opponents, strategically binning impactful cards to either raise Coram's power or reanimate them back to the battlefield. This strategy not only disrupts our opponents but also maximizes our own resources, creating a dynamic and powerful gameplay experience. Coram's unique abilities transform the game, offering a fresh and exhilarating approach to graveyard-centric strategies.

Milling Ourselves and Opponents

Mill is a cornerstone strategy for this deck, with our path to victory hinging on maximizing the value in our graveyard. But the same principle applies to our opponents' graveyards: the more valuable cards we siphon from their decks and deposit into their graves, the slimmer their chances of survival. To execute this plan, we deploy a suite of devious tools. Mesmeric Orb, ever-dubious, makes opponents think twice about tapping out, forcing them into tough decisions. Ghoulcaller's Bell (which we DEFINITELY didn't steal from Gisa) steadily grinds down everyone's decks, turning their best cards into mere memories. 

Then, there are the three words every non-Phyrexian fears: Breach the Multiverse, which unleashes chaos across the board. Finally, the dreaded Dread Summons not only mills everyone but raises an army of zombies in the process, ensuring that our graveyards are filled and the battlefield is teeming with undead minions. This relentless approach overwhelms our adversaries, leaving them scrambling to recover as we seize control with ruthless efficiency.

By leveraging these powerful milling tools, we ensure our strategy disrupts opponents and maximizes our own resources, creating a graveyard overflowing with potential. This approach not only enhances Coram's abilities but also keeps our opponents on the back foot, struggling to recover as we dominate the battlefield with relentless precision.

The Grave isn't Forever

Reanimation and recursion are pivotal to Coram's strategy, breathing new life into our graveyard-centric tactics. We've mastered the art of getting things into the graveyard; now it's time to grab a shovel and bring them back out. Reanimate is a card we absolutely cannot omit when discussing reanimation--it's in the name, after all. This classic spell allows us to bring back any creature from the graveyard directly to the battlefield, often turning the tide of the game in our favor. Bala Ged Recovery is a versatile powerhouse, acting not only as a potent recursion spell to retrieve any card from our graveyard but also as a land if we need it. This flexibility ensures we always have options, no matter the situation. 

We can engage in a scandalous trade with an opponent using Incarnation Technique, demonstrating it to gain twice the value by milling ourselves and then reanimating two creatures. This not only strengthens our board but also disrupts our opponent's strategy by forcing them to make tough choices. Agadeem's Awakening, on the other hand, is a game-changer that allows us to revive a multitude of creatures from our graveyard, creating a sudden and overwhelming board presence. This spell is especially devastating late game, enabling us to recover from setbacks and launch a final, unstoppable march to victory.

These reanimation spells not only enhance our board presence but also create a cycle of continuous threat, ensuring that our graveyard is never just a discard pile but a reservoir of potential. By leveraging these cards, we keep our opponents on their toes, constantly wary of what might rise from the grave next, and maintain the pressure as we push relentlessly towards our ultimate triumph.

Devastation Awaits

In our meticulous crafting of this deck, we've prioritized filling it with truly formidable targets that synergize perfectly with our focus on milling and reanimation. Among these, Yargle and Multani hold a special place in my heart, not just as personal favorites, but as crushing threats with their 18/6 stats. What makes them even more dangerous is their resilience in the graveyard, courtesy of Coram's ability to boost his own power based on the highest in any graveyard. 

But our arsenal doesn't stop there. The inclusion of Archon of Cruelty introduces a wave of devastation to our strategies. This formidable creature not only generates immense value for us upon entering the battlefield but also corners opponents, leaving them with limited options in the face of its oppressive presence. Lord of Extinction emerges as a game-changing threat when resurrected from the graveyard. Its power and toughness grow exponentially, mirroring the vastness of all graveyards combined. This potential for exponential growth transforms Lord of Extinction into an unstoppable force, capable of dominating the battlefield in a single swoop. And let's not overlook the strategic advantage offered by Necrogoyf, which shares a similar ability to Lord of Extinction. As it gathers power equal to the number of creatures in all graveyards, it becomes a monstrous entity, ready to unleash havoc and overwhelm opponents with its sheer might.

By strategically leveraging these formidable targets, we ensure that our deck remains a force to be reckoned with, capable of adapting to any situation and overwhelming adversaries with a relentless barrage of powerful creatures.

Wrapping Up

As we conclude our exploration of this deck's intricacies, it's clear that our focus on milling, reanimation, and strategic card choices has created a potent and versatile arsenal. The synergy between our reanimation spells coupled with the devastating power of creatures forms the backbone of our strategy. Each card serves a purpose, whether it's disrupting opponents' plans, generating value for us, or overwhelming the battlefield with unstoppable force.

In essence, this deck is not just a collection of cards but a symphony of destruction, where every spell, creature, and strategy harmonize to create a crescendo of devastation that ensures our triumph on the battlefield. With each strategic choice and calculated move, we march closer to victory, leaving opponents awestruck and powerless in the face of our relentless onslaught.

As we embark on battles to come, let us wield this deck with skill and cunning, unleashing its full potential to dominate opponents and claim victory after victory. The journey ahead promises challenges and triumphs, but with this formidable deck at our command, we are ready to face whatever the battlefield may bring.

The Deck