Goyf-Style Graveyard Incursion Hosts Powerful Modern Callbacks!

The Modern Horizons 3 spoilers have finally been revealed! After two long weeks, we now have the most impactful set of 2024 at our fingertips, and the last thing that was revealed certainly didn’t disappoint.

While the feedback of Modern Horizons 3 having Commander legal cards was… mixed, the team behind the set tried their best to make the Commander decks being included feel as much like Modern as possible. We have to admit, there is little that is better at doing this than making an entire deck around Tarmogoyf.

Back in the day, Tarmogoyfs were $200 cards! Now, they barely see any play in any format. Commander seems like a great way to allow older Modern fans to relive the glory days of this iconic card.

If you’re interested in graveyard shenanigans with a flavor of Goyf, Graveyard Overdrive is the deck for you! Let’s take a look at all the newest additions to the roster.

Disa, the Restless

Disa is the headliner Commander for Graveyard Overdrive and demonstrates the overall theme for this deck. Lhurgoyfs matter, and connecting with opponents creates Tarmogoyf tokens for you to relive the glory days with.

Since Tarmogoyfs are a big theme in this deck, getting a bunch of different types of cards into the graveyard is also important. Since you’re creating tons of different Tarmogoyf tokens, every card type will have a much larger impact than you think. Remember to get some Kindred cards in there for an extra boost.

You can find the Graveyard Overdrive decklist here.

Coram, the Undertaker

Coram is the secondary Commander for Graveyard Overdrive and doesn’t really follow the Goyf theme. This is a good reminder that the ‘graveyard’ in the title isn’t for nothing. Coram really wants to mill cards from all players’ libraries and cast them. Mill is typically a Dimir thing, which allows players to take some unique approaches with the Jund color identity of Coram.

Exterminator Magmarch

This is a doozy of an ability, but Exterminator Magmarch is a fantastic card. Removal is key in Commander, and Magmarch basically allows you to double up on any single target removal you cast. Deadly Rollick suddenly exiles two creatures instead of one. The new Abtruse Appropriation can exile and cast the two best cards on your opponents’ field. This is a fantastic card for four mana, and Regenerate gives Exterminator Magmarch protection it doesn’t even really need. This is a great card for any Rakdos deck that can play it.

Sawhorn Nemesis

This is another incredibly powerful card that can fit its way into any red Commander deck that is trying to deal damage. Commander players love doubling effects, and Sawhorn Nemesis is rather cheap for what it’s capable of. This is a bit easier of a doubling effect to remove thanks to it being a creature, but just having this card around for a few turns usually allows it to do more damage than your opponents can deal with.

Tempt with Mayhem

Tempt with Mayhem offers a new Tempt cycle option. Basically, these cards allow your opponents to gain an optional benefit. The more opponents that choose to benefit, the larger the benefit you get. At a minimum, Tempt with Mayhem will copy a spell for you. If your opponents want in on the fun, you get multiple copies of the spell. This card is a bit hard to read in terms of raw power but can cause a lot of laughs at your table.

Broodmate Tyrant

Broodmate Tyrant is pretty straightforward, and demonstrates Graveyard Overdrive’s themes once again. This is definitely an expensive card to cast from your hand, but the Encore effect creates an absolutely ludicrous amount of power. This is a card you want to be discarding and Encoring if you can.

Infested Thrinax

Infested Thrinax is a fun card that can punish an opposing board wipe. If you have a huge board and want some insurance, this is a very fun option. Aside from the obvious play in decks that have Saproling synergies, generic board wipe protection like Heroic Intervention may serve you better.

Polygoyf

Polygoyf is quite literally a Tarmogoyf with Myriad. This is quite the explosive upgrade for one extra mana, but past synergizing with Lhurgoyf synergies, Polygoyf is just a beat stick, which sometimes isn’t good enough in Commander.

Pyrogoyf

Pyrogoyf offers yet another Tarmogoyf variant worth two more mana, in red, and offers Warstorm Surge on a stick for Lhurgoyfs. I’m more of a fan of this card than Polygoyf, but these cards have some absolutely explosive potential when they’re on the field at the same time. Combine that with the Tarmogoyf token effect of Disa, and you’ve got a win condition on your hands.

Barrowgoyf

Barrowgoyf works wonderfully within the deck’s two Commander themes. Both Commanders are satisfied here, with Lhyurgoyf typing for Disa and milling for Coram. Considering this deck’s overall gameplan, and Barrowgoyf’s ability to naturally grow while being difficult to block, this card seems great in this focused strategy. Otherwise, Barrowgoyf could be worth considering in other mill strategies.

Gluttonous Hellkite

Gluttonous Hellkite is an expensive board wipe that offers a threat. The threat will increase in size the more mana you spend to cast it (assuming your opponents have the creatures to sacrifice).

One really nice element of Gluttonous Hellkite is that its sacrifice ability occurs on cast instead of when it enters the battlefield. This allows you to keep your Hellkite alive, regardless of how many creatures are sacrificed to its ability.

As long as you’re casting this card for five mana, Gluttonous Hellkite is more than worth it. A 9/9 piece of removal with Flying and Trample for five mana is incredibly above-rate.

Tarmogoyf Nest

Tarmogoyf Nest is the kind of Magic card that Modern Jund players would die for. Why have one Tarmogoyf when you can make one each turn cycle? Tarmogoyf is pretty straightforward, but the activated ability does cost one extra mana to use in comparison to casting a Tarmogoyf from hand. This card seems fine, but it is a Kindred enchantment, which allows for some extra Goyf growth in your graveyard. This card could see some strange Legacy play as a long-term win condition, but this seems unlikely.

Bloodbraid Challenger

Here’s another Modern Jund staple immortalized in Commander flavor. Bloodbraid Challenger costs an extra mana for some more stats and bigger Cascade potential, but Escape is the real treat that this card provides. Bloodbraid Challenger now becomes a recurrable value engine, providing a powerful threat and card advantage at the same time.

Final Act

Final Act is the card in this precon that is going to be turning the most heads. This has some eerie similarities to Farewell, basically boasting a black version of the card. That said, the modes on this card are quite different, hitting some rather unique permanent types.

Between Final Act and Farewell, the white staple is definitely the better card. Final Act is stronger in unique situations and can keep graveyards intact if you care about that, but Farewell hits all the strong permanent types that players commonly have in play. Regardless, this is an incredibly powerful card.

Siege-Gang Lieutenant

Siege-Gang Lieutenant is yet another idolization for a classic card: Siege-Gang Commander. The Goblin Commander is pretty underpowered, so Siege-Gang Lieutenant got a ton of upgrades. Mana reduction aside, Siege-Gang Lieutenant creates goblins each combat as long as you control your Commander. They can also attack immediately.

As far as this card goes, Siege-Gang Lieutenant is medium. If you synergize with token creation, this card is for you.