Equipment Matter

Having a high Equipment density opens us up to these possibilities:

• Doubling up on our commander's token-making ability with Chishiro, the Shattered BladeChishiro, the Shattered Blade
• Reattaching Equipment for free or cheap with Blacksmith's TalentBlacksmith's Talent, Rhuk, Hexgold NabberRhuk, Hexgold Nabber, and Goldwardens' GambitGoldwardens' Gambit (note the built-in Rebel synergies!)
• Dealing tons of direct damage to our opponents with Judgment BoltJudgment Bolt or another version of our commander's character – Barret WallaceBarret Wallace.

Quick aside... you know when you are teaching a new player Magic and they inevitably tap their Equipment when they attack and you kind of let it slide because it doesn't really matter... but you let them know it technically could matter at some point?

Well, cards like Meria, Scholar of AntiquityMeria, Scholar of Antiquity, Ghirapur Aether GridGhirapur Aether Grid, and Bottle-Cap BlastBottle-Cap Blast showcase this intricacy very well, allowing us to get extra value out of our Equipment beyond powering up our creatures.

Equipment Token Shenanigans

This is where things get a little wild. Importantly, Barret (and Chishiro!) care about Equipment entering, not being cast. This mean that cards like Dan LewisDan Lewis, Gemcutter BuccaneerGemcutter Buccaneer, and Bludgeon BrawlBludgeon Brawl combine with our commander to supplement each TreasureTreasure (and often other noncreature artifacts) we create with a 2/2 Rebel.

Bludgeon BrawlBludgeon Brawl in particular is also amazing at turning artifact tokens into a bunch of "Equipment" with Equip , leading to fun interactions with cards like Champion of the FlameChampion of the Flame, Valduk, Keeper of the FlameValduk, Keeper of the Flame, and Golem-Skin GauntletsGolem-Skin Gauntlets. Throw Prosperous BanditProsperous Bandit or Stangg, Echo WarriorStangg, Echo Warrior into the mix, and things start to get really out of hand!

Mass Disruption

This color combo isn't exactly control when it comes to the ability for mass removal and disruption (quite the opposite, in fact!).

With that being said, cards like Fiery ConfluenceFiery Confluence and Burn Down the HouseBurn Down the House are flexible removal, Keen-Eyed CuratorKeen-Eyed Curator represents graveyard disruption that is great at wearing Equipment, DecimateDecimate is an old-school classic, and Storm the CitadelStorm the Citadel ties in great with our "go-wide" subtheme.

Decklist

Deck Checklist

• 49 mana sources (36 lands, 6 Treasure-based ramp, 4 mana rocks, 2 misc., 1 MDFC)
• 36 cards that are, create, or care about Equipment
• 11 card draw/selection/recursion
• 8 targeted disruption
• 7 mass disruption

Mid-Budget Upgrades

There are a lot of on-theme Equipment and related cards that can improve this deck, while still staying below a $20 price tag for each.

If you're interesting in improving your ramp that synergizes with Barret, try:

• Kodama of the West TreeKodama of the West Tree
• Paradise MantleParadise Mantle
• Dowsing DaggerDowsing Dagger
• Sword of the AnimistSword of the Animist
• The Reaver CleaverThe Reaver Cleaver (another card to supplement the "Equipment token" strategy mentioned above!)

If you want to focus on Equipment that improves your card advantage/token creation, try:

• SkullclampSkullclamp
• Blade of SelvesBlade of Selves
• Cori-Steel CutterCori-Steel Cutter

If you are interested in raw power, try:

• Belt of Giant StrengthBelt of Giant Strength
• Excalibur, Sword of EdenExcalibur, Sword of Eden (note: Barret's attach ability means you can put this on any Rebel!)

To improve your disruption and protection suite, try:

• VandalblastVandalblast
• Untimely MalfunctionUntimely Malfunction
• SilkguardSilkguard
• Conqueror's FlailConqueror's Flail

Challenge the Stats

I don't see this card on Barret's page yet (disclaimer: there are only about 140 decks logged so far, so a very small sample size).

With that being said, this is my early "Challenge the Stats" pick, pumping all Rebel tokens by +2/+2 when attached to Barret.

Conclusion

So there you have it, a low-budget Core deck inspired by one of the many new commanders from Final Fantasy.

Can you see any other cards that fit well into this strategy? Sound off in the comments below! Thanks for reading, and see you next time when Edge of Eternities previews begin.