help with cuts to my Sephiroth deck

{"ops":[{"insert":"Cool deck. \"Edict Tribal\". You have a lot of Game Changers so I'm assuming you're trying to build this for a higher level table.\n\nTwo things that help me when building a deck:\nhaving a very clear and concise game plan"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"understanding the general archetype of what I'm building and what that style of deck generally needs"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"#1 is paramount - you can't build a good deck without it. #2 can be a shortcut that gets you 80% of the way there (or in your case 113%.)\n\nRegarding #1, I don't know what game plan you had in mind, so I'm going to assume you were building around Sephiroth's effects.\nIn short, we have a three mana commander that, when you cast an edict ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sheoldred's Edict"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fleshbag Marauder"}},{"insert":"), flips and gives you "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"an emblem that drains on ANY creature dying"},{"insert":".\n\nI think that last part is really important. Most aristocrats strategies rely on you having to kill your own creatures, which is a huge cost, both in deck building requirements and in-game advantage. With Sephiroth you are not limited in what you kill, and"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" ideally would only be killing your opponents creatures"},{"insert":" to flip him"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"."},{"insert":" It's much easier to get four creatures to die by casting a single 2-mana edict, than it is to get a token generator on the board, a sac outlet, and then create and sac four tokens. So we'll stick with edicts. Specifically, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER // Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel"}},{"insert":" wants to come down turn three, then have you kill four creatures to flip it. This means "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"you want to be running a high number of edict effects"},{"insert":", so you can cast them pretty early in the game. This high number of removal spells and the fact your commander drains when opponents' creatures die, might push you into a control strategy. You can see you already have the pieces for this with your 19 removal spells (if you count Yawgmoth and Sheoldred.)\n\nSo that brings us to #2 above: your deck wants to be a sort of aristocrats control deck. Again, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER // Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" wants to come down turn three, kill four creatures (probably by casting an edict), then go into \"engine mode\" - have a big board to sac to draw lots of cards and drain opponents"},{"insert":". Winning looks like protecting and continuing that engine of drawing cards, saccing creatures, and draining opponents. That is essentially your archetype and your game planl; aristocrats that happens to run a lot of sacrifice-based removal.\n\nSo with all that in mind, lets look at what cards you need and what to cut.\n\nFor sure you want edicts. These can be more expensive since you're casting them after your commander comes down turn three. You want creature based edicts to get an extra body on board; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fleshbag Marauder"}},{"insert":" > "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sheoldred's Edict"}},{"insert":" here.\n\nSephiroth himself plays an interesting role. His flip side ability seems pretty strong, and he needs to attack to get value, so I imagine he will draw some hate. However, him dying isn't the worst thing, since recasting and flipping him again gives you ANOTHER emblem! Since you're trying to flip him early, you are therefore running many edict effects, thus reflipping him should be easy. For this reason, I might "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"run a good number of \"rebirth\" effects for protection"},{"insert":" ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Supernatural Stamina"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Feign Death"}},{"insert":") - "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"an opponent killing him just accelerates your game-plan"},{"insert":" since you can protect, then reflip him to get another drain emblem.\n\nRebirth effects are very efficient - just 1 mana. I would run 8 or more of these, since they can also be used to get two sacrifices out of one creature in a pinch. They can replace most of your redundant drain effect cards - specifically the ones that don't trigger on your opponents' creatures dying. When your commander is your main card draw engine and win-con, if you can protect him AND further your game-plan with a single 1-mana card, that seems pretty good. Go rebirths! Now on to actually running the engine.\n\nI think with any engine strategy, the most important thing is keeping the engine going, not necessarily making it more powerful. Having "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bloodletter of Aclazotz"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sanguine Bond"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blood Artist"}},{"insert":" out is great, but if you run out of creatures to sacrifice, it feels pretty bad. However, on the flip side, if you have creatures to sac, you can always draw into the above cards. So I always lean toward making an engine more consistent first, before adding \"enhancer\" win-more cards. If you play test and find your engine is super-consistent but just lacks some killing power, you can always cut sac fodder (fuel) to increase the power. Engine strategies require protecting the engine (we've done that, see 'rebirths' above) and giving the engine fuel (sac fodder). Ideally you want fodder that fills your board with multiple bodies quickly, so you can sac many of them to Sephiroth all at once to draw lots of cards. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sengir Autocrat"}},{"insert":" turns your 1-mana rebirths into \"draw 4\" spells. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ogre Slumlord"}},{"insert":" triggers off your opponents' creatures dying to your edicts. He's expensive, but that's fine - he comes down after your commander and you're probably drawing three cards off of him whenever you cast an edict.\n\nRamp isn't too important here I don't think, since you're not accelerating out your commander. For this reason, I might consider cutting some of your more expensive ramp pieces. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pitiless Plunderer"}},{"insert":".\n\nAs mentioned above, regarding your drain effects, I would cut the ones that only trigger on your own creatures dying. I would keep all the death trigger doublers, and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bloodletter of Aclazotz"}},{"insert":". \n\nDeck Change Suggestions"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Below is a list of cuts and additions I think you can make. I drop a lot of generic \"good cards\" for things that better align with the above game plan.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Cards to Remove (24)"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Drain Effects - you don't need as many if you can flip your commander to draw into them, or rebirth him to get multiple emblems. And none of these trigger off of opponents' creatures dying.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mirkwood Bats"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vengeful Bloodwitch"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bastion of Remembrance"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Funeral Room // Awakening Hall"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Sac Outlets - these are a bit expensive and your commander, which you'll protect, is a good sac outlet\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Warren Soultrader"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Altar"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Expensive Crap\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sheoldred, Whispering One"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Obliterator"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Lifegain Combo - there just isn't room for this and you don't need it.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Exquisite Blood"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bloodthirsty Conqueror"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aetherflux Reservoir"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sanguine Bond"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Ramp\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pitiless Plunderer"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cabal Ritual"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Recursion\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Victimize"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Reanimate"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Token\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bitterblossom"}},{"insert":" - you want token generators that give you lots of tokens at once, not one per turn cycle."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Enhancers\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dictate of Erebos"}},{"insert":" - good card, but make sure your engine works first. Add it back if you realize you can cut redundant engine pieces"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Draw - your commander draws cards and these are kind of slow. If you're starved for card draw, get more sac fodder.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Arena"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Confidant"}},{"insert":" - this is a good card. cut it anyway"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Protection\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Imp's Mischief"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Removal\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nowhere to Run"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Eaten Alive"}},{"insert":" - good card, but sorcery speed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nCards to Add (11 + land)"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Protection\n5+ Rebirth effects "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Supernatural Stamina"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Feign Death"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Undying Malice"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Not Dead After All"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Edicts\n4+ creature edicts "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Demon's Disciple"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Merciless Executioner"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Slum Reaper"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rankle, Master of Pranks"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Sac Outlets\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"High Market"}},{"insert":" (replace swamp)"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Token Generator\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sengir Autocrat"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ogre Slumlord"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\n"}]}