Pick my pairing and build the list

Hello fellas. Help me pair someone with the following list, and then build the list for that pairing

Edenni tier 4 nq
Edenni
Nightmare. 10
Death jack. 12
Ripjaw. 5
Skarlock. 2
Siren x2. 4
Cephalyx overlords. 3
Min mind slavers x3. 9
Max mechanithralls  5
Skarlock commander. 1
Brute. 1
Ragman. 2
Necro surgeon  2

Could I get a rundown of the tier bonuses?

Edit* nevermind.

Based off of the assumptions that you will have trouble against Circle (eMorvona, Druids, Kromak), Menoth (Harby, Kreoss3, Sevy) and Cryx (Withershadow, recursion, magic assassination), Legion (eVayle...who will be one of the lists), Trolls (pDoomy tier).

eShade tier...if his elite cadre RFP's.

If not, Asphixious3.

The tier writes itself...but Gaspy3.

~Cankerworm
~Stalker
~Stalker
Baneknights x3
Tartersauce
Darigh Wrathe
Pistol Wraith

(Dan jumped in front of me while typing, I am not going to edit anything that I worte about match-ups, Dan seems to have covered it)

So what needs to happen first is to find out what needs shored up match-up wise from the list above. I am not sure what that is at the moment, but it seems a shooty list may take a big chunk out of the list turn after turn. While the attrition value of recycling Drudges will help with this, I am not sure if after 4-5 rounds you will have much left (i.e. the "end game"). The list above, from first glance, seems to push forward into zones while slowly grinding your opponents out of it over the course of the game.

While I am not sure the list I am presenting does anything to fix this, I believe it has some resiliency while being able to deliver a punch late game.

Here goes:

Lich Lord Venethrax (*6pts)
* Ripjaw (5pts)
Bane Riders (Leader and 4 Grunts) (11pts)
Bane Thralls (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
* Bane Thrall Officer & Standard (3pts)
Greygore Boomhowler & Co. (Boomhowler and 9 Grunts) (9pts)
The Withershadow Combine (5pts)
Aiakos, Scourge of Meredius (3pts)
Bane Lord Tartarus (4pts)
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor (2pts)
Pistol Wraith (3pts)
Pistol Wraith (3pts)
Warwitch Siren (2pts)

My list has some control elements in the Pistol Wraiths and Orin (for the inevitable Butcher 3 match-up), while having a resilient core in the Boomhowlers as they screen Venethrax. The WSC and the Warwitch are there to keep your warcaster from having to use any focus except to camp each turn after the first. 

The punch of the army comes in the Riders and Thralls. Impact attacks are considered melee attacks so "Soul Harvest" on the Riders should net some decent gains as they charge forward. While the unit of Thralls is only a min, Tartarus will do what he always does and fill the ranks with the dead enemy. Stealth provides protection to the Thralls so they are in the mix about turn 3 when the Riders are mostly gone, if not all gone.

A Venethrax army needs to be self sufficient and just about every model in this list (except maybe the Thralls) is just that. While the Boomhowlers aren't superb in melee they can grind out a control zone if need be. Aiakos comes out next month and he is a super solo in his own rights. In the mean time you can max out the banes or throw something else in the mix until his release date. Everything else here works well on its own and does its job well.

The only minor downfall I see is not having sacrifice models for feat turn when you want to position them yourself, but other than that, that is all I have so far.

What is Aikos for?

Also, get ready to see a lot of Issiari (?) the new ret caster. She does wonders against Cryx as our only real defense is negated.

I like Skarre1 or Shade2 tier. Both have anti control tech and are light on characters.

Sensing a theme here, Lou - I thought of eShade first, too. Phantom Hunter on the Kraken and hordes of Stealth models does everything the eDenny tier doesn't. 

My only question would be if he would struggle just as much against the heavy control/infantry removal lists, but I suspect not because he's not exactly in a hurry to get anywhere.

Edited to add that I'm not sure Venethrax does enough, here. He's weak to the same control and mass-infantry clearing elements, and his strengths are hugely conditional. I think we want a list that is resilient to shooting, and can end a game out of nowhere through assassination if need be (though that might be a personal worldview problem rather than an issue with this Venny list).

Shade2 tier is definitely still a thing, for me at least.  Skarre1 is a very interesting take as an alternative list.  The list build is tough, she wants everything melee!!  Building a PSkarre list that works is not the problem, building a PSkarre list that shores up the EDenni weaknesses, is the challenge.

What's in this mythical pSkarre list? I mean, she's amazing, but doesn't she get stopped by the same kinds of lists? It's possible no one will have the necessary infantry clearing on Saturday, but what is your plan against Harbinger? 

Maybe bring the Kraken with her? Guns are always good there, and Soul Hunters will be excellent:
pSkarre
-Kraken
-Skarlock
Soul Hunters 
Daragh Wrath
Raiders + UA
Raider Captain
Blood Witches + UA
Necrosurgeon

It's the raiders and soul hunters in your face turn 1. You're trying to get them to feat early. Harby will have to come forward to feat and potentially out herself in charge range of the soul hunters. If not, you can move up your back lines freely.

I actually like the Kraken with PSkarre, but I am currently doing something slightly different with the 'jack loadout