<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://boros-szikszai.com/">Zoltan Boros</a>)</h6>
<h1>Following the Tracks</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>The Toolbox!</em> Here, we take a look at underplayed cards and evaluate where they ought to see more play. Today, we’re taking a look at a tutor that I think deserves more consideration in Commander: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker"></div></div>
<p>Most people will immediately compare this creature to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldly Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Worldly Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. They both tutor a creature card to the top of your deck, but Tracker is more expensive, does have some limitations, and is at sorcery speed. Clearly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldly Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Worldly Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the much better card, but there is a significant monetary cost to it that not everyone wants to (or can) pay. There are also some decks that can make better use of tutor-based creatures, but we'll get into that later in the article! For these reasons, I think that there is a wider range of applications for the Tracker than the current set of decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stonebrow, Krosan Hero"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hua Tuo, Honored Physician"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rayami, First of the Fallen"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stonebrow, Krosan Hero" href="#" target="_blank">Stonebrow, Krosan Hero</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the most played commander for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it's pretty clear why. Stonebrow is basically trample tribal. This makes the restriction of which creatures Tracker can find almost completely irrelevant, and at three mana it would be insane not to include such a powerful tutor.</p>
<p>Then there's Hua Tuo, who aims to use his ability with effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Call of the Wild" href="#" target="_blank">Call of the Wild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to efficiently cheat in threats; he makes any top-of-the-deck tutor a shoo-in. There is also the factor of Hua Tuo's built-in recursion with sacrifice outlets like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Perilous Forays" href="#" target="_blank">Perilous Forays</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, making Tracker a repeatable engine that makes it a powerful asset! Finally, with Rayami wanting to borrow every keyword under the sun from your creatures, having a tutor for any missing keyword is just what this deck wants!</p>
<p>While keyword decks are a clear pairing for Tracker, I think that there are a lot of unexplored commander options out there, so let's get into it!</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Glory Days</h2>
<p>Remember back in the glory days? Playing your all-creature deck, just stomping to victory? Well, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nikya of the Old Ways" href="#" target="_blank">Nikya of the Old Ways</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may be the commander for you! She doubles the mana your lands produce while denying you the ability to cast any noncreature spells.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nikya of the Old Ways"></div></div>
<p>This single restriction changes the types of ramp, card advantage, and interaction this deck can run, so <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the few tutor effects that Nikya can run that has no opportunity cost of winding up stranded uncastable in her hand, which is why I'm shocked that so few decks run it.</p>
<p>There's also the aspect of being able to find creatures such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ruric Thar, the Unbowed" href="#" target="_blank">Ruric Thar, the Unbowed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="God-Eternal Rhonas" href="#" target="_blank">God-Eternal Rhonas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Acidic Slime" href="#" target="_blank">Acidic Slime</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hornet Queen" href="#" target="_blank">Hornet Queen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All of these creatures are very unique in their effects, whether via interaction or aggression, so Nikya has a very diverse set of abilities this card can help her find, rather than it only finding a single type of creature, such as large tramplers. Having a Tracker to find these diverse cards is therefore flexible and can even be game-winning!</p>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may not be the absolute best tutor, I still think that it is deserving of a slot in Nikya decks, so the last thing to do is take a look at the massive block of creatures in the decklist!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Creature Tribal" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Nikya of the Old Ways
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Acidic Slime
*1 Anger
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Archetype of Endurance
*1 Artisan of Kozilek
*1 Bane of Progress
*1 Beast Whisperer
*1 Duskwatch Recruiter
*1 End-Raze Forerunners
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Farhaven Elf
*1 Fauna Shaman
*1 Fierce Empath
*1 Flameblast Dragon
*1 Garruk&#039;s Horde
*1 Genesis Hydra
*1 God-Eternal Rhonas
*1 Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
*1 Gruul Ragebeast
*1 Hellkite Charger
*1 Hornet Queen
*1 Ilharg, the Raze-Boar
*1 Keeper of Fables
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Magus of the Candelabra
*1 Manglehorn
*1 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
*1 Mwonvuli Beast Tracker
*1 Neyith of the Dire Hunt
*1 Nullstone Gargoyle
*1 Nylea, Keen-Eyed
*1 Nyxbloom Ancient
*1 Primordial Sage
*1 Prowling Serpopard
*1 Quartzwood Crasher
*1 Radha, Heart of Keld
*1 Reclamation Sage
*1 Regal Force
*1 Runic Armasaur
*1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Savageborn Hydra
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Soul of New Phyrexia
*1 Soul of the Harvest
*1 Springbloom Druid
*1 Steel Hellkite
*1 Sunder Shaman
*1 Temur Sabertooth
*1 Terastodon
*1 Terror of the Peaks
*1 Ulvenwald Tracker
*1 Urabrask the Hidden
*1 Vizier of the Menagerie
*1 Voyaging Satyr
*1 Wood Elves
*1 Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Primal Surge
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Guardian Project
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Domri, Anarch of Bolas
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Gruul Guildgate
*1 Gruul Turf
*1 Kessig Wolf Run
*1 Mosswort Bridge
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Rugged Highlands
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Temple of Abandon
*5 Mountain
*17 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Dinosaur in the Room</h2>
<p>I got the inspiration for this inclusion from getting absolutely stomped by our Social Media Manager, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/christian-alexander/">Christian Alexander</a>'s <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. For those that have been living under a rock, Gishath is a Dinosaur, which is enough to let people live out their childhood dreams. He also happens to be an absolute house that can make his own army of dinos out of nowhere! Why would he need the help of a tiny Human like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar"></div></div>
<p>Right off the bat, any top-of-the-deck tutors just read "put this into play" with Gishath out as long as you're finding a Dinosaur. That on its own makes me wonder why <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is ignored; even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Congregation at Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Congregation at Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is only played in 36% of Gishath decks. To me, this shows an under-evaluation for this effect, especially with several very potent options available in these colors.</p>
<p>Getting into what you can tutor for with Tracker, there exist fewer Dinosaurs with trample than I feel like there ought to be. Is that weird to anyone else, or just me? The ones that do, though, are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zetalpa, Primal Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Zetalpa, Primal Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quartzwood Crasher" href="#" target="_blank">Quartzwood Crasher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zacama, Primal Calamity" href="#" target="_blank">Zacama, Primal Calamity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Regal Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Regal Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and these are some absolutely bomb creatures. Think about it this way: Gishath turns Tracker into any of these insane creatures for three mana!</p>
<p>If this isn't enough reason, the best thing is to take a look at the decklist to see the insane value of Dinosaurs!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Jurassic Park" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Apex Altisaur
*1 Atzocan Seer
*1 Bellowing Aegisaur
*1 Burning Sun&#039;s Avatar
*1 Carnage Tyrant
*1 Deathgorge Scavenger
*1 Drover of the Mighty
*1 Etali, Primal Storm
*1 Forerunner of the Empire
*1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
*1 Goring Ceratops
*1 Kinjalli&#039;s Caller
*1 Kinjalli&#039;s Sunwing
*1 Knight of the Stampede
*1 Marauding Raptor
*1 Mwonvuli Beast Tracker
*1 Otepec Huntmaster
*1 Polyraptor
*1 Quartzwood Crasher
*1 Raging Regisaur
*1 Raging Swordtooth
*1 Ranging Raptors
*1 Regisaur Alpha
*1 Ripjaw Raptor
*1 Runic Armasaur
*1 Silverclad Ferocidons
*1 Temple Altisaur
*1 Thrashing Brontodon
*1 Thundering Spineback
*1 Trapjaw Tyrant
*1 Verdant Sun&#039;s Avatar
*1 Wakening Sun&#039;s Avatar
*1 Wayward Swordtooth
*1 Zacama, Primal Calamity
*1 Zetalpa, Primal Dawn
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Boros Charm
*1 Congregation at Dawn
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Naya Charm
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Circuitous Route
*1 Commune with Dinosaurs
*1 Cultivate
*1 Explosive Vegetation
*1 Farseek
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Skyshroud Claim
*1 Thunderherd Migration
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Gruul Signet
*1 Selesnya Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Great Henge
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Colossal Majesty
*1 Elemental Bond
*1 Garruk&#039;s Uprising
*1 Mirari&#039;s Wake
*1 Pyrohemia
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Huatli, Warrior Poet
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Branchloft Pathway
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Cragcrown Pathway
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Gruul Turf
*1 Jungle Shrine
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Selesnya Sanctuary
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Thriving Grove
*1 Unclaimed Territory
*4 Plains
*4 Mountain
*8 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Nightmare Fuel</h2>
<p>Say what you will about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kathril, Aspect Warper" href="#" target="_blank">Kathril, Aspect Warper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but its art is absolutely terrifying, and I love it. Props to you, <a href="https://www.artstation.com/guterrez">Mathias Kollros</a>, for making it look so horrifying yet so fantastical! Functionally, though, Kathril is a pure counter commander, using keywords and +1/+1s to buff itself so much as to become unstoppable. How would a card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> be useful to this great Insect?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kathril, Aspect Warper"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> finds almost any creature in the decklist below, because it's basically just keyword soup. Seriously, there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zetalpa, Primal Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Zetalpa, Primal Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma, Angel of Wrath" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma, Angel of Wrath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elder Gargaroth" href="#" target="_blank">Elder Gargaroth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Questing Beast" href="#" target="_blank">Questing Beast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Then, with a simple mill spell like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satyr Wayfinder" href="#" target="_blank">Satyr Wayfinder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Tracker turns into a second <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entomb" href="#" target="_blank">Entomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with upside.</p>
<p>Another option is to ramp into these threats or reanimate them with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ever After" href="#" target="_blank">Ever After</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> after making a beefy Kathril! This is also the perfect deck for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tortured Existence" href="#" target="_blank">Tortured Existence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to swap <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satyr Wayfinder" href="#" target="_blank">Satyr Wayfinder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakura Tribe Elder" href="#" target="_blank">Sakura Tribe Elder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with keyword creatures for Kathril, by the way. Personally, Kathril is one of my favorite commanders from this year, with lots of cool and crazy options. Here's how the Tracker might fit into Kathril's nightmarish deck!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Pure Nightmares" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kathril, Aspect Warper
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Acidic Slime
*1 Aerial Responder
*1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
*1 Archon of Valor&#039;s Reach
*1 Avenging Huntbonder
*1 Cairn Wanderer
*1 Cataclysmic Gearhulk
*1 Daring Fiendbonder
*1 Elder Gargaroth
*1 Fauna Shaman
*1 Hornet Queen
*1 Karametra, God of Harvests
*1 Kunoros, Hound of Athreos
*1 Leyline Prowler
*1 Majestic Myriarch
*1 Mwonvuli Beast Tracker
*1 Nethroi, Apex of Death
*1 Nighthawk Scavenger
*1 Nullpriest of Oblivion
*1 Nyx Weaver
*1 Odric, Lunarch Marshal
*1 Oketra the True
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Satyr Wayfinder
*1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
*1 Skull Prophet
*1 Slippery Bogbonder
*1 Splinterfright
*1 Sylvan Caryatid
*1 Tayam, Luminous Enigma
*1 Titanoth Rex
*1 Underrealm Lich
*1 Vampire Nighthawk
*1 Zetalpa, Primal Dawn
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Abzan Charm
*1 Deathsprout
*1 Despark
*1 Entomb
*1 Grisly Salvage
*1 Mythos of Nethroi
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Buried Alive
*1 Cultivate
*1 Duneblast
*1 Eerie Ultimatum
*1 Ever After
*1 Farseek
*1 Harmonize
*1 Jarad&#039;s Orders
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Selective Adaptation
*1 Unburial Rites
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Netherborn Altar
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 The Ozolith
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Deadbridge Chant
*1 Death&#039;s Oasis
*1 Greater Good
*1 Together Forever
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Gavony Township
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Golgari Rot Farm
*1 Grim Backwoods
*1 Indatha Triome
*1 Krosan Verge
*1 Memorial to Folly
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Nesting Grounds
*1 Orzhov Basilica
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Sandsteppe Citadel
*1 Selesnya Sanctuary
*1 Sungrass Prairie
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Woodland Cemetery
*4 Plains
*4 Swamp
*5 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>End of the Tracks</h2>
<p>Thank you all for your continued support of the series! I hope that you enjoyed reading this installment and that you’ve found a new home for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Do you think that these commanders pair well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mwonvuli Beast Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Mwonvuli Beast Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Do you think that I’m overestimating this card, or do you agree it’s highly underrated? What other cards are you hoping to see get their place in the spotlight? Let’s talk about it in the comments below. Thank you all once again, and I hope that you have an amazing week.</p>


The Toolbox - Mwonvuli Beast Tracker

The Toolbox - Sundial of the Infinite

The Toolbox - Tortured Existence

The Toolbox - Mirage Mirror

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | By <a href="https://diterlizzi.com/">Tony DiTerlizzi</a>)</h6>
<h1>The Little Negate that Could</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>The Toolbox!</em> Here, we take a look at underplayed cards and evaluate where they ought to see more play. Today we’re taking a look at a neglected <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can be played in quite literally any deck: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Null Brooch"></div></div>
<p>Don't be surprised if you've never heard of this <em>Exodus </em>card before; it <em>is</em> over 20 years old at this point. For those that weren't playing the game before I was alive, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is so interesting because it's a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can just sit on board. The drawback with Brooch is that you also have to discard your hand when countering a spell. This makes it a difficult card to work with, but, as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Confidant" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Confidant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s flavor text says, "Greatness, at any cost."<i data-stringify-type="italic"> </i>So, let's take a look at the top commanders from EDHREC to see where <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is played!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hazoret the Fervent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malfegor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcum Dagsson"></div></div>
<p>This is going to be one of the most hotly contended articles that I have written just due to the cost of discarding your hand to counter a single spell. The thing is, there are certain decks, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hazoret the Fervent" href="#" target="_blank">Hazoret the Fervent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that actively want to discard their hand, so having a way to do this <em>and</em> interact at the same time is a huge bonus. There're also decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malfegor" href="#" target="_blank">Malfegor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> where the drawback becomes pretty irrelevant after you've cast him, as he clears your hand anyway.</p>
<p>Then there's the final of the top three commanders, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcum Dagsson" href="#" target="_blank">Arcum Dagsson</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While this may not seem like a great fit with the overall gameplan of the deck, there is some logic for including it. For instance, using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcum Dagsson" href="#" target="_blank">Arcum Dagsson</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to turn a Thopter token into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to counter a problematic <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merciless Eviction" href="#" target="_blank">Merciless Eviction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be a game-winning play. Brooch is definitely more limited in this deck, but I understand why some are choosing to include it.</p>
<p>In Commander, having an empty hand is very dangerous, considering how much a game state can change in just a single turn cycle. I do think that there are some decks that can work around or even benefit off of this 'drawback', though, so let's get into it!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Minions!</h2>
<p>I have not played against many <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Balthor the Defiled" href="#" target="_blank">Balthor the Defiled</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decks, but they are always interesting to play against! For those who haven't seen Balthor in action, he aims to be a repeatable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Living Death" href="#" target="_blank">Living Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that doesn't wipe the board. He also gives a buff to Minions, but this is pretty minor compared to the power of his activated ability. Let's take a look at why I think Balthor should be playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Balthor the Defiled"></div></div>
<p>The main distinguishing factor between Balthor and other options, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chainer, Dementia Master" href="#" target="_blank">Chainer, Dementia Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, is that Balthor aims to go much wider in his reanimation. The reason I bring this up is because discarding a hand filled with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Massacre Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Massacre Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abhorrent Overlord" href="#" target="_blank">Abhorrent Overlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Razaketh, the Foulblooded" href="#" target="_blank">Razaketh, the Foulblooded</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is way better with Balthor at the helm since he can just reanimate them all at once. Having <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a discard outlet also gives the opportunity for the deck to have more play at instant speed through Brooch itself, and reanimating a bunch of threats out of nowhere! Once <em>Hellbent</em>, Brooch can also just be used as a repeatable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to counter any pesky <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merciless Eviction" href="#" target="_blank">Merciless Eviction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s that would otherwise wipe the board permanently.</p>
<p>To some, this may seem like a bit of a stretch, but I think it’s genuinely worth the inclusion. Having a mass discard outlet that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s something seems way better than just cycling a card with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necromancer&#039;s Stockpile" href="#" target="_blank">Necromancer&#039;s Stockpile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! If you haven't had the pleasure to see a deck like this in action, taking a look at the decklist may be the best place to see all the great value you can get with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Monster Mash" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Balthor the Defiled
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Abhorrent Overlord
*1 Apprentice Necromancer
*1 Ayara, First of Locthwain
*1 Corpse Connoisseur
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Cryptbreaker
*1 Doom Whisperer
*1 Doomed Necromancer
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Golgari Thug
*1 Grave Titan
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
*1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
*1 Magus of the Coffers
*1 Mogis&#039;s Marauder
*1 Ob Nixilis, Unshackled
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Plaguecrafter
*1 Razaketh, the Foulblooded
*1 Rune-Scarred Demon
*1 Scion of Darkness
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
*1 Shriekmaw
*1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Stinkweed Imp
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Undead Gladiator
*1 Vilis, Broker of Blood
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Cast Down
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Darkblast
*1 Force of Despair
*1 Mausoleum Secrets
*1 Price of Fame
*1 Songs of the Damned
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blood for Bones
*1 Buried Alive
*1 Diabolic Tutor
*1 Dread Return
*1 Living Death
*1 Morality Shift
*1 Ransack the Lab
*1 Reanimate
*1 Rise of the Dark Realms
*1 Stitch Together
*1 Victimize
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Caged Sun
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Null Brooch
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Thran Dynamo
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Animate Dead
*1 Arguel&#039;s Blood Fast
*1 Liliana&#039;s Contract
*1 Necromancer&#039;s Stockpile
*1 Phyrexian Arena
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Liliana, Untouched by Death
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Cabal Stronghold
*1 Crypt of Agadeem
*1 Dakmor Salvage
*1 Desert of the Glorified
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Memorial to Folly
*1 Witch&#039;s Cottage
*28 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Graveyard? More like Extended Hand!</h2>
<p>If you haven't read Andrew's edition of <em><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/ultra-budget-brews-damia-sage-of-stone/">Ultra Budget Brews</a> </em>that highlights why <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works so well with Damia, you should definitely take a look! This is actually where I got the inspiration for going with Damia over <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muldrotha, the Gravetide" href="#" target="_blank">Muldrotha, the Gravetide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, even though I think that Brooch would work well with either of them. For those that haven't seen this Gorgon, she loves drawing cards so much that in your upkeep she refills your hand to a full seven cards! She's also Sultai and has deathtouch, but the draw is the important part. Why would she want a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Damia, Sage of Stone"></div></div>
<p>Having Damia refill your hand every turn makes discarding actively beneficial to dig even deeper into your deck. The timing on pitching your hand with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very important, though, because Damia getting hit by a removal spell is backbreaking with her mana cost. So viewing it more as an onboard way to always have some piece of interaction to protect Damia, and as a reset button for your hand, makes it much more justifiable.</p>
<p>There are also the synergies available with the aforementioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muldrotha, the Gravetide" href="#" target="_blank">Muldrotha, the Gravetide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramunap Excavator" href="#" target="_blank">Ramunap Excavator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This deck is so sweet, and it's open to customization to be tuned to exactly what you want! If you don't believe that this card is worth a slot, take a look at the decklist!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Monster Mash 2" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Damia, Sage of Stone
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Acidic Slime
*1 Avenger of Zendikar
*1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Coiling Oracle
*1 Consecrated Sphinx
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Laboratory Maniac
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Muldrotha, the Gravetide
*1 Nyxbloom Ancient
*1 Oracle of Mul Daya
*1 Ramunap Excavator
*1 Reclamation Sage
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Seedborn Muse
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*1 Thassa&#039;s Oracle
*1 The Gitrog Monster
*1 Wayward Swordtooth
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Beast Within
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Growth Spiral
*1 Krosan Grip
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Putrefy
*1 Sultai Charm
*1 Swan Song
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Casualties of War
*1 Cultivate
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Emergent Ultimatum
*1 Explosive Vegetation
*1 Farseek
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Skyshroud Claim
*1 Torment of Hailfire
*1 Toxic Deluge
*1 Villainous Wealth
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Null Brooch
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Burgeoning
*1 Exploration
*1 Leyline of Anticipation
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Sylvan Library
*1 Wilderness Reclamation
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Vraska the Unseen
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Command Tower
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Golgari Rot Farm
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*1 Opulent Palace
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Temple of Mystery
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Woodland Cemetery
*1 Zagoth Triome
*5 Island
*3 Swamp
*10 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Wheels on the Bus</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rielle, the Everwise" href="#" target="_blank">This sweet grandma</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> just wants to make sure that you've had enough cards to draw. Rielle has got to be one of my favorite cards from Ikoria; she just refills your hand as soon as you discard for the first time each turn. You don't mess with her, though: she gets extremely powerful from all the instants and sorceries in the bin.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rielle, the Everwise"></div></div>
<p>With Grandma wanting to give you more cards when you discard, discarding your hand to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> acts as a wheel. Rielle is already commonly running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forbid" href="#" target="_blank">Forbid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolarian Winds" href="#" target="_blank">Tolarian Winds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. An activation of Brooch with Rielle out is quite literally just a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolarian Winds" href="#" target="_blank">Tolarian Winds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stapled to a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and for half the mana!</p>
<p>This deck is all about constantly just clearing your hand to buff Rielle, and Brooch being a repeatable, colorless source of discard that stays on the field is great for when you just draw a hand of lands. At worst, you can just discard it to something else anyway! If you don't believe me, take a look at how sweet this decklist is!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Have Some Cookies" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rielle, the Everwise
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Baral, Chief of Compliance
*1 Brallin, Skyshark Rider
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Glint-Horn Buccaneer
*1 Jace&#039;s Archivist
*1 Laboratory Maniac
*1 Magus of the Bazaar
*1 Magus of the Wheel
*1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun
*1 Psychosis Crawler
*1 Surly Badgersaur
*1 Thassa&#039;s Oracle
*1 The Locust God
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Channeled Force
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Dangerous Wager
*1 Fateful Showdown
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Firestorm
*1 Foil
*1 Forbid
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Izzet Charm
*1 Muddle the Mixture
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Narset&#039;s Reversal
*1 Negate
*1 Rites of Refusal
*1 Swan Song
*1 Thrill of Possibility
*1 Tolarian Winds
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Breakthrough
*1 Burning Inquiry
*1 Careful Study
*1 Cathartic Reunion
*1 Chandra&#039;s Ignition
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Gamble
*1 Gitaxian Probe
*1 Ponder
*1 Reforge the Soul
*1 Turbulent Dreams
*1 Wheel of Fortune
*1 Windfall
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Library of Leng
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mana Crypt
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Null Brooch
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Thought Vessel
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Ominous Seas
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Teferi&#039;s Ageless Insight
*1 Underworld Breach
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Narset, Parter of Veils
*1 Teferi, Master of Time
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Cephalid Coliseum
*1 Command Tower
*1 Desolate Lighthouse
*1 Fiery Islet
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Lonely Sandbar
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*11 Island
*7 Mountain
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Null</h2>
<p>Thank you all for your continued support of the series! I hope that you all enjoyed reading this installment, and I hope that you have found a new home for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Do you think these commanders pair well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Do you think I’m overestimating this card, or do you agree it’s highly underrated? What other cards are you hoping to see get their place in the limelight? Let’s talk about it in the comments below. Everyone please stay safe and have a great week!</p>


The Toolbox - Null Brooch

The Toolbox - Fires of Invention

The Toolbox - Null Profusion

The Toolbox - Shadowspear

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | by <a href="https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Janet_Aulisio">Janet Aulisio</a>)</h6>
<h1>Volrath's Shackles</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>The Toolbox!</em> Here, we take a look at underplayed cards and evaluate where they ought to see more play. Today we’re taking a look at an underrated version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vedalken Shackles" href="#" target="_blank">Vedalken Shackles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards">
<div class="edhrecp__card"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Helm of Possession"></div></div></div>
</div>
<p>The most obvious comparison to this card is the infamous <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vedalken Shackles" href="#" target="_blank">Vedalken Shackles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which has caused many a player to utter a groan. The problem with Shackles is that playing it outside of mono-blue decks is pretty much impossible, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does not have this downside; the downside it <em>does</em> have is that, to get this effect, you need to sacrifice a creature. As we've seen many times, though, this can be an upside!</p>
<p>Let’s take a look at Helm's most common commanders to date:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skyfire Kirin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yasova Dragonclaw"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Norin the Wary"></div></div>
<p>This is one of the times that the EDHREC page is not very helpful for the analysis of Helm. With two of the commanders being <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyfire Kirin" href="#" target="_blank">Skyfire Kirin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yasova Dragonclaw" href="#" target="_blank">Yasova Dragonclaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's clear that this card is pretty definitively played in decks that just want to steal opposing creatures. Then there's Norin, who can leverage tokens from cards such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Genesis Chamber" href="#" target="_blank">Genesis Chamber</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to borrow opposing creatures.</p>
<p>There is more to this artifact than just pure theft strategies, though. This artifact can be used defensively, aggressively, or just to mess with people! It has a wide range of applications in a format as diverse as Commander, so let's get into it.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Master</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sai, Master Thopterist" href="#" target="_blank">Sai, Master Thopterist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the first commander I thought of when I saw this card. Sai, as a token-generator, along with all the artifact synergies you could want, is the perfect commander to wear the Helm.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sai, Master Thopterist"></div></div>
<p>While Sai could just play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vedalken Shackles" href="#" target="_blank">Vedalken Shackles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I think that there are some very good reasons to run Helm, instead.  This is not an issue with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, though; the only downside is that you have to sacrifice a creature, but Sai conveniently generates those on his own.</p>
<p>While most of the time you want to be sacrificing tokens, there are some times where you can use the cost of sacrificing a creature to get a pretty strong advantage. With a deck like this you're able to recur sacrificed artifact creatures with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emry, Lurker of the Loch" href="#" target="_blank">Emry, Lurker of the Loch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Trawler" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Trawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Myr Retriever" href="#" target="_blank">Myr Retriever</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>There's also the fact that Sai runs <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unwinding Clock" href="#" target="_blank">Unwinding Clock</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clock of Omens" href="#" target="_blank">Clock of Omens</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manifold Key" href="#" target="_blank">Manifold Key</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, each of which will let you use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to steal a creature attacking you to block another, for the low price of a Thopter, multiple times. Artifact tutors, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whir of Invention" href="#" target="_blank">Whir of Invention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inventor&#039;s Fair" href="#" target="_blank">Inventor&#039;s Fair</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, also allow you to find it whenever you need it.</p>
<p>If you've ever played an artifact deck, you know how many interactions are possible that I can't cover here, so here's the decklist.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Thopter Tribal" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Sai, Master Thopterist
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Negate
*1 Paradoxical Outcome
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Stoic Rebuttal
*1 Thirst for Knowledge
*1 Whir of Invention
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Fabricate
*1 Reverse Engineer
*1 Thoughtcast
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Aether Spellbomb
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Bident of Thassa
*1 Blinkmoth Urn
*1 Clock of Omens
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Helm of Possession
*1 Ichor Wellspring
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Manifold Key
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mystic Forge
*1 Retrofitter Foundry
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Soul-Guide Lantern
*1 Spine of Ish Sah
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Thran Dynamo
*1 Tormod&#039;s Crypt
*1 Trading Post
*1 Unwinding Clock
*1 Witching Well
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Efficient Construction
*1 Mirrodin Besieged
*1 The Antiquities War
*1 Thopter Spy Network
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Chief Engineer
*1 Chief of the Foundry
*1 Emry, Lurker of the Loch
*1 Etherium Sculptor
*1 Foundry Inspector
*1 Hangarback Walker
*1 Jhoira&#039;s Familiar
*1 Junk Diver
*1 Master of Etherium
*1 Myr Retriever
*1 Padeem, Consul of Innovation
*1 Scrap Trawler
*1 Sharding Sphinx
*1 Shimmer Dragon
*1 Shimmer Myr
*1 Silver Myr
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Steel Overseer
*1 Tribute Mage
*1 Trinket Mage
*1 Trophy Mage
*1 Vedalken Archmage
[/Creatures]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Tezzeret, Artifice Master
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Academy Ruins
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Castle Vantress
*1 Darksteel Citadel
*1 Inventors&#039; Fair
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Seat of the Synod
*1 Tomb of the Spirit Dragon
*26 Island
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>A Lavish Crown</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gonti, Lord of Luxury" href="#" target="_blank">Gonti, Lord of Luxury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the epitome of opulence, and what's more opulent than Volrath's Helm? I'm sad that there's no foil printing of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for it to be fully on-theme, but the fact that Gonti likes to steal is enough to make it worth it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gonti, Lord of Luxury"></div></div>
<p>In talking with several Gonti players over the past, one of the best ways to maximize value in a Gonti deck is to include a sacrifice outlet that actually impacts the game. Including <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a given, but the next most-played sac outlet is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleshbag Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Fleshbag Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at 47%, and that's only a one-time effect!</p>
<p>With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you could not only have a harder-to-remove <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rubinia, Soulsinger" href="#" target="_blank">Rubinia, Soulsinger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but you'd also have a way to sacrifice Gonti and steal a creature just before your turn. If you have another sac outlet, you could sacrifice anything you steal, as well, so you don't have to give it back!</p>
<p>While I know some will protest, I do think that Helm is a good fit with Gonti, so take a look at the decklist and see if you agree.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Luxurious Value" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Demon of Dark Schemes
*1 Dread Presence
*1 Erebos, God of the Dead
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Grave Titan
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Magus of the Coffers
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Nirkana Revenant
*1 Noxious Gearhulk
*1 Plaguecrafter
*1 Puppeteer Clique
*1 Ravenous Chupacabra
*1 Rune-Scarred Demon
*1 Sepulchral Primordial
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
*1 Shriekmaw
*1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Defile
*1 Hero&#039;s Downfall
*1 Rescue from the Underworld
*1 Supernatural Stamina
*1 Undying Evil
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Beacon of Unrest
*1 Black Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Decree of Pain
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Diabolic Tutor
*1 Exsanguinate
*1 Mutilate
*1 Praetor&#039;s Grasp
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Scheming Symmetry
*1 Sign in Blood
*1 Torment of Hailfire
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Blade of Selves
*1 Caged Sun
*1 Charcoal Diamond
*1 Conjurer&#039;s Closet
*1 Erratic Portal
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Helm of Possession
*1 Helm of the Host
*1 Jet Medallion
*1 Mimic Vat
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Nim Deathmantle
*1 Nyx Lotus
*1 Panharmonicon
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Strionic Resonator
*1 Whip of Erebos
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Animate Dead
*1 Dead Man&#039;s Chest
*1 Kaya&#039;s Ghostform
*1 Minion&#039;s Return
*1 Phyrexian Arena
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Liliana of the Dark Realms
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Cabal Stronghold
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Sanctum of Eternity
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Witch&#039;s Cottage
*27 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Curses!</h2>
<p>Not actually, but if you'd like to read more on Curses, I have a great article on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Opulence" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Opulence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> which can be found <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/the-toolbox-the-opulence-of-telepathy/">here</a>. This time, though, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Korvold, Fae-Cursed King" href="#" target="_blank">Korvold, Fae-Cursed King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the focus. A lot of people brought up Korvold in response to my last <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/the-toolbox-pattern-of-rebirth/">article</a> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pattern of Rebirth" href="#" target="_blank">Pattern of Rebirth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which I liked, but I wanted to let him wear the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, instead.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Korvold, Fae-Cursed King"></div></div>
<p>Korvold already wants tokens to feast on from cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awakening Zone" href="#" target="_blank">Awakening Zone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so why not use some of the spare tokens to borrow your opponents' creatures? This deck is all about sacrifice, using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mayhem Devil" href="#" target="_blank">Mayhem Devil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moldervine Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Moldervine Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to maximize every death from your board to grind your opponents down.</p>
<p>This has gotta be one of my favorite commanders for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> because of the sheer versatility. It ties into the main game mechanic of sacrificing but also allows you to use your opponents' creatures. You could just use Helm to borrow and attack with them, as a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maze of Ith" href="#" target="_blank">Maze of Ith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or to sacrifice them to the Fae-Cursed King, himself!</p>
<p>The amount of interactions to go through is endless with a deck like this, so just take a look at the decklist to see for yourself.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The King" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Korvold, Fae-Cursed King
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Butcher of Malakir
*1 Caustic Caterpillar
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Judith, the Scourge Diva
*1 Mayhem Devil
*1 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
*1 Pawn of Ulamog
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 Plaguecrafter
*1 Poison-Tip Archer
*1 Priest of Forgotten Gods
*1 Prossh, Skyraider of Kher
*1 Ramunap Excavator
*1 Reassembling Skeleton
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Sifter of Skulls
*1 Smothering Abomination
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Springbloom Druid
*1 Sylvan Safekeeper
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Tendershoot Dryad
*1 The Gitrog Monster
*1 Thrashing Brontodon
*1 Viscera Seer
*1 Woe Strider
*1 Zulaport Cutthroat
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Beast Within
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Deathsprout
*1 Harrow
*1 Putrefy
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Brass&#039;s Bounty
*1 Cultivate
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Diabolic Intent
*1 Farseek
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Primal Growth
*1 Victimize
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Crucible of Worlds
*1 Helm of Possession
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Phyrexian Altar
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Awakening Zone
*1 Dictate of Erebos
*1 Dreadhorde Invasion
*1 From Beyond
*1 Goblin Bombardment
*1 Moldervine Reclamation
*1 Revel in Riches
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Jund Panorama
*1 Lotus Field
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Phyrexian Tower
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Temple of Malady
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Wooded Foothills
*1 Woodland Cemetery
*6 Swamp
*1 Mountain
*5 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Until Next Time</h2>
<p>Thank you all for your continued support of the series! I hope that you all enjoyed reading this installment, and I hope that you’ve found a new home for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Do you think that these commanders pair well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Possession" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Possession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Do you think I’m overestimating this card, or do you agree it’s highly underrated? What other cards are you hoping to see get their place in the limelight? Let’s talk about it in the comments below!</p>


Elijah Klein