Inspiring CallInspiring Call | Art by Dan Scott

Greetings and salutations, dear brewers, and welcome to yet another instalment of Branching Out, where I take a look at a different color pair each other week and try to find some fun, weird, or unusual builds for them.

This time, let's take a closer look at Selesnya decks, aka The Tokener, the Counterer, the Lifegainer and other go-wide strategies ending with "er."

As usual, let's have a look at the most played commanders in these colors:

• Sythis, Harvest's HandSythis, Harvest's Hand – 12,252 decks, with the top themes being Enchantress (4.7K), Auras (1.4K) and Lifegain (267)
• Arahbo, Roar of the WorldArahbo, Roar of the World – 8,819 decks, with the top themes being Cats (3.7K), Kaheera Companion (2.1K) and Equipment (617)
• Ellivere of the Wild CourtEllivere of the Wild Court – 8,189 decks, with the top themes being Auras (2.6K), Enchantress (623) and Hatebears (603)
• Kudo, King Among BearsKudo, King Among Bears – 7,049 decks with the top themes being +1/+1 Counters (839), Bears (341) and Tokens (338)
• Gluntch, the BestowerGluntch, the Bestower – 6,029 decks with the top themes being Group Hug (822), +1/+1 Counters (332) and Treasure (190)

As expected, enchantment-centric and +1/+1 counters seem to focus most of the attention.

Next, let's take a look at the most represented tags:

• +1/+1 Counters: 16,944 decks
• Tokens: 11,681 decks
• Auras: 9,620 decks
• Enchantress: 8,602 decks
• Lifegain: 7,947 decks

As we've grown accustomed to, the ties between the top tags and the most played commanders seem strong.

While browsing the various options available, I've been struck by the scarcity of legendary creatures in these colors that don't include either the term "+1/+1 counter" or "token." There are, in fact, only 44 of these (not counting partners), making it harder to find uncanny strategies.

Now that the main strategies have been ascertained, let's take a look at five alternative ways to build in .

Emiel the BlessedEmiel the Blessed

You wouldn't think that a creature with almost 2,000 decks to its name could be the base for something weird and uncanny, right?

Let me answer with two words: Hare ApparentHare Apparent.

Forget all about Emiel's second ability. It's nice and cute, but not what you're here for. You're here for Rabbits. Yes I know, this is token generation. But isn't that a weird way to do it?

As Hare ApparentHare Apparent makes Rabbit tokens based on however many other instances are on the battlefield, an easy way to populate the board in a surprisingly short amount of time is to play two or three Hares, and then either blink one of them repeatedly, or even better, blink them all.

If you blink as little as three Hares (and that's on the low end), you'll make six additional Rabbits, as each one will see the other two upon entering.

Now imagine playing all the trigger doublers in the world, and you've got a recipe that would make Australia's problem look like another minor pest control issue.

To make this work you'll need:

• Hare Apparent by the score: As this is at the core of this brew, you need to make sure you can have at least 3-4 on the field before doing silly stuff.
• Mass blink spells: These will ensure you have the maximum output, as well as protect the most precious outlets on your board from potential board wipes. Think:
  • GhostwayGhostway,
  • Eerie InterludeEerie Interlude,
  • Semester's EndSemester's End,
  • Lae'zel's AcrobaticsLae'zel's Acrobatics,
  • or my favorite of the lot, Another RoundAnother Round.
• Enter-the-Battlefield trigger doublers: 
  • Delney, Streetwise LookoutDelney, Streetwise Lookout
  • Elesh Norn, Mother of MachinesElesh Norn, Mother of Machines
  • PanharmoniconPanharmonicon
  • Preston, the VanisherPreston, the Vanisher
• And if you want to go the extra mile, token doublers like Doubling SeasonDoubling Season.

You will like this deck if: 

• You enjoy go-wide strategies.
• You always thought Rabbit tokens were underestimated.
• You like the idea of playing a Unicorn commander while playing something that's all but Unicorns.
• You think Jetmir, Nexus of RevelsJetmir, Nexus of Revels is the easy way out, but still like the core idea.

You won't like this deck if: 

• You're not here to play one of the most common strategies in Selesnya.
• You don't appreciate blinking stuff.
• You wish to deliver massive blows, not mosquito bites.
• Hare Apparent; really?

Ohabi CaleriaOhabi Caleria

Let's continue with a type of creature that deserves, in my humble opinion, a little more love. Ohabi Caleria is the best (and to be honest, one of the only) creatures if you want to make an army of arrow-throwers.

With the various errata on older cards, there's a significant pool of 75 cards to dabble with. Granted, 1,519 decks is a fairly honorable score. And most of these Archers are quite bad cards. But there's a lot to love from this revisited figure from Legendsrevisited figure from Legends.

First, she untaps all of your Archers during each turn, giving them pseudo-vigilance. Also, many of these archers have tap abilities, which makes them almost reusable at will.

Second, she has a built-in card draw engine that, while a bit mana intensive in the long run, can ensure a steady card flow.

Third, there are several spells that actually care about either tapping or untapping your permanents. Glare of SubdualGlare of Subdual immediately sprung to mind when thinking of this deck. All the new Spacecraft in these colors also work wonderfully here, albeit being restricted to sorcery speed activations.

And there's the sublime hidden gem Symbiotic DeploymentSymbiotic Deployment that, while risky, looks like a fantastic draw engine.

But what I'm most excited about though is spells with convoke. There are 57 cards that have this keyword in these colors, and if you can get your hands on instant-speed enablers such as Vedalken OrreryVedalken Orrery, Yeva, Nature's HeraldYeva, Nature's Herald, or Vivien, Champion of the WildsVivien, Champion of the Wilds, you can spew out an amazing army in a remarkably short time.

I've been playing with a similar strategy with Saint Traft and Rem KarolusSaint Traft and Rem Karolus, and it's been one of the most fun decks I've ever had to play.

To make this work you'll need:

• Archers, a lot of Archers: They're the meat and bones of this deck, and you'll need at least three or four on the field to maximize the output from your commander.
• Draw-on-enter effects: To keep the flow of creatures steady, you need the gas. Tocasia's WelcomeTocasia's Welcome, Mentor of the MeekMentor of the Meek, Welcoming VampireWelcoming Vampire... Cram them all in.
• Convoke spells: This is the other half of the deck. Ancient ImperiosaurAncient Imperiosaur could become absolutely huge, Chord of CallingChord of Calling grabs your best creature, Clever ConcealmentClever Concealment protects your board, Impervious GreatwurmImpervious Greatwurm is... well, impervious, March of the MultitudesMarch of the Multitudes floods the field, Obelisk of UrdObelisk of Urd is a decent boost... Have fun and choose your 20-30 pet cards.
• Spacecraft (Optional): They fit so well in the theme I feel it would be criminal not to at least give them a try.

You will like this deck if: 

• You like little-played kindred strategies.
• You're a budget brewer.
• You want each spell you cast to bring more value.
• You're an archer yourself.

You won't like this deck if: 

• You're not into janky strategies.
• You don't like to depend too much on your commander.
• You don't like combat damage and controlling the board.
• You feel like untapping multiple times per rotation is cheating.

Wilson, Refined GrizzlyWilson, Refined Grizzly And Noble HeritageNoble Heritage

Let's move on with another pet peeve of mine: Voltron. Wilson is the perfect match for this strategy in these colors, with his impressive suite of abilities: built-in protection, evasion, an attacker and a defender both...

All he needs is some power boost to start killing players around the table, which is exactly what Noble Heritage provides. Granted, Flaming FistFlaming Fist is slightly more effective (and popular), but I really enjoy the slight politicking that comes with Heritage.

Of course, that's not all you're playing. You want to make Wilson big, and you want to do it fast. Playing Noble Heritage first ensures Wilson will be a 4/4 upon arrival, and a 6/6 by the time he can attack on turn four.

Slap in some additional ways to pump his power, and you've got a serious threat your opponents can't ignore for long.

To make this work you'll need:

• Pump spells: Equipment work just fine. And +1/+1 counters and Auras I guess, if you want to be more mainstream. Just make sure you've got enough ways for Wilson to reach 11 power.
• Double strike outlets: This is why you want Wilson to reach 11, so you can theoretically one-shot anyone at the table.
  • Duelist's HeritageDuelist's Heritage for more politics,
  • FireshriekerFireshrieker,
  • Brass KnucklesBrass Knuckles,
  • Leyline AxeLeyline Axe,
  • Battle MasteryBattle Mastery... Pick your poison.
• Recursion outlets: In case your commander or any of your toys get blown to smithereens, you need some ways to bring it back to the fray. Wilson's lowly cost isn't an issue per se, but effects such as RegrowthRegrowth, Mantle of the AncientsMantle of the Ancients, or RetetherRetether will make sure the nightmare continues for your opponents.
• Protection outlets: Ward will only work for a time. You need other ways to thwart removal attempts and make sure your commander stays on the field.
• Lifegain outlets (optional): Once Wilson becomes big enough, you can bet your last penny the table will gang up on you to take you down. Gaining 10 to 20 life back with each swing from Wilson will make sure you stay out of harm's way, and deter any potential attacks as well that would trigger lifelink again.
• A few alternatives: You don't want to be too much of a glass cannon. Thrun, the Last TrollThrun, the Last Troll and Thrun, Breaker of SilenceThrun, Breaker of Silence, Light-Paws, Emperor's VoiceLight-Paws, Emperor's Voice and Danitha Capashen, ParagonDanitha Capashen, Paragon... make sure you have a plan B.

You will like this deck if: 

• You enjoy swinging for massive amounts of damage fast.
• You like bears.
• You don't mind relying on a single creature to do the job.
• You like being the center of the attention.

You won't like this deck if: 

• You don't like risking it all on a single win outlet.
• You don't believe in commander damage.
• You don't like taking out players one at a time.
• You don't like +1/+1 counters.

Saffi EriksdotterSaffi Eriksdotter

Let's move on to some trickier grounds. With only 700 decks to her name, Saffi isn't exactly what you'd call a popular commander. Yet she can champion a sneaky way to secure an eventual win: resilience.

Her ability is but one of the many, many other you will play in this deck, to make sure that whatever you get on the ground sticks to the ground.

You win by either going to look for a game-winning piece through the many sacrifice outlets, or by accruing increasing value on your board while keeping the others in check, eventually wearing them down through constant attrition.

Let's be clear: This can be a very oppressive way to play the game. Barring a few fringe conditions, the idea is to endure whatever's being thrown at you, while harassing back relentlessly.

It's difficult; it will keep you on the edge. But it's also quite satisfactory when you can pull it off.

To make this work you'll need:

• Recursion outlets: Saffi works fine, but think also:
  • Othelm, Sigardian OutcastOthelm, Sigardian Outcast,
  • Karmic GuideKarmic Guide,
  • ReveillarkReveillark,
  • Sun TitanSun Titan,
  • Brought BackBrought Back... This is critical to the strategy.
• Ways to annoy your opponents: This is where the mean stuff comes into action: Aura ShardsAura Shards, Drannith MagistrateDrannith Magistrate, Grand AbolisherGrand Abolisher...
• Outlets that make good use of your commander(s): Birthing PodBirthing Pod and Eldritch EvolutionEldritch Evolution trust the top ranks, but Fauna ShamanFauna Shaman or Recruiter of the GuardRecruiter of the Guard are no slouches either.
• Fogs: Players often underestimate the power of a well-timed FogFog effect, negating what should have been an unstoppable win, before killing the impudent on the crack back.
• Ways to close the game: Either resort to combat with Craterhoof BehemothCraterhoof Behemoth and the like, or bore your opponents to death.

You will like this deck if: 

• You like thinking three moves ahead.
• You believe yourself to be the spiritual heir of both Lord Vetinary and Nicolas Machiavel.
• You like your board where it is, thank you very much.
• You enjoy going back and forth between your library, graveyard, and battlefield.

You won't like this deck if: 

• You don't care for headaches.
• You like your friends.
• You don't enjoy standstills.
• You're a nice person, overall.

Selvala, Explorer ReturnedSelvala, Explorer Returned

We'll end this small exploration of unusual strategies on a "nice" touch. Let's be the nice one for a change. Let's give cards.

Selvala is one of the paragons of the Group Hug strategy, providing cards for everyone at a constant pace while accruing a lot of mana. But I believe there's another fun way to make good use of her, one that doesn't necessarily revolve around her.

There are basically two ways to do this:

• The hard way: Combo off with Selvala by tapping and untapping her ad nauseam, drawing your deck along with everyone else's in one fell swoop, before watching all other players die by decking out.
• The fun way: Repeatedly tap and untap Selvala or another mana dork to accrue an impressive amount of mana, which you'll then use to play huge threats.

Let's explore the latter one. Your commander will be the best outlet to achieve great results, as it will continually fill your hand with goodies. However, if your hand is filled with enough outlets, any mana dork providing several mana in a turn will do the trick.

.And if you feel especially bold, you can try foregoing any kind of ramp altogether and focus on Selvala alone.

To make this work you'll need:

• A slew of untapping effects: I like keeping things fair, but if you want to close the game faster, you can add Umbral MantleUmbral Mantle or Staff of DominationStaff of Domination to combo off. What I'm thinking of is more along the lines of Wirewood LodgeWirewood Lodge, Vines of the RecluseVines of the Recluse, Stony StrengthStony Strength and the like. There are a lot of these effects in these colors, and you should probably play each and every one of them.
• Big Payoffs: This is where you have fun. Be terrifying by playing massive Eldrazi, be cute by adding massive vanilla monsters, win through lifegain effects, double up on mana to win with Helix PinnacleHelix Pinnacle... That's the beauty of this commander, she allows for a massive array of win conditions. You wouldn't believe how little effort she requires to cast an off-hand Worldspine WurmWorldspine Wurm.
• Protection for Selvala: She's your main source of income, make sure she lives to hand it over.

You will like this deck if: 

• You want more mana.
• You want more cards.
• You want more power.
• You want more, more, moooooooooooooore!!!

You won't like this deck if: 

• You're not prepared to defend your commander at all costs.
• You don't care for stompy strategies.
• You're not a sneaky, filthy, deceptive person, like any other Group Hug player is.
• You don't like to tap, untap, tap, untap, tap, untap, over and over again.

Conclusion

And there you have it, five ideas for builds in Selesnya that either see too little play or should be explored more.

Now I'm looking forward to hearing from you. What are the weirdest decks you've built in ? Did I forget something obvious? Have you built any of these?

Let me know in the comments below, and I'll see you two weeks!

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