Top 10 Orzhov Spellslinger Cards

Kain, Traitorous Dragoon: With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heidegger, Shinra Executive" href="#" target="_blank">Heidegger, Shinra Executive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CDanciao%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Danciao</a></em></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heidegger, Shinra Executive" href="#" target="_blank">Heidegger, Shinra Executive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a new commander that supports the Soldier creature type by helping the little guys go wide and tall at the same time. He’s a solid curve-topper, flooding the board with Soldiers by himself and coming with a reasonable mana value and decently aggressive stats.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heidegger, Shinra Executive"></div></div>
<p>One of the intriguing aspects of building typal decks is that even if decks share colors, they will rarely share many cards. While we <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-a-cleric-typal-deck-with-minwu-white-mage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">looked at a mono-white list last week</a>, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minwu, White Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Minwu, White Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Clerics, the decks have very different structures, means of attack, and board states.</p>
<p>If you’re getting tired of seeing the same old staples, try a typal deck!</p>
<p>It’s always fun when an older creature type gets a boost from a new set, whether it’s within the <em>Magic</em> IP or from <em>Universes Beyond</em>. Soldiers have flooded the board since <em>Alliances</em> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kjeldoran Outpost" href="#" target="_blank">Kjeldoran Outpost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and were pushed even further as the representative white weenie type in <em>Onslaught</em>.</p>
<p>Nearly every set features new Soldiers, as establishing the presence, type, and strength of the military is integral to worldbuilding. As a result, Soldiers pop up on seemingly every plane.</p>
<p>This can get a little confusing, however, as some Soldiers have additional typing while others are generic grunts. For example, even if a Soldier token depicts a Human Soldier, it won’t trigger things that care about Humans.</p>
<h2>What Does Heidegger, Shinra Executive Do?</h2>
<p>One of the more subtle but important aspects of Heidegger is his mana value. As with the Minwu deck, we'll spend our early turns adding to the board instead of casting spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. As a result, we rely on hitting land drops to cast our spells on-curve instead of using mana rocks to cast spells early.</p>
<p>So, what is Heidegger’s mana value, and why does it matter? His mana value is four, which matters because four is an important number when it comes to sweepers in Commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are older than the format itself; green decks tend to reach the kinds of threats we can’t attack into; and blue decks are almost to the point of being able to leave mana up every turn.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wrath of God"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Odric, Master Tactician"></div></div>
<p>Our commander comes out at the perfect moment to make an impact: punishing wraths, making green-sized threats, and hitting the field just before a permission spell ceases to be a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Walk" href="#" target="_blank">Time Walk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for the blue player.</p>
<p>While there are other options for Soldier commanders, most of them center on manipulating combat and enabling aggression. They aren't threats themselves, however, so they don't do anything the deck doesn’t already do.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Odric, Master Tactician" href="#" target="_blank">Odric, Master Tactician</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a solid Soldier commander: It costs four, has first strike and an additional point of toughness, and allows us to determine who attacks and blocks (if anyone). It gets around green decks and under blue decks, but it doesn’t enable us to recover from a wrath, which are becoming increasingly popular.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harbin, Vanguard Aviator" href="#" target="_blank">Harbin, Vanguard Aviator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Commander Mustard" href="#" target="_blank">Commander Mustard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both add a color, with Harbin being a cheap early flyer that gives flying to all creatures we control and Mustard being a more expensive curve-topper that gives vigilance, trample, and haste to all Soldiers, as well as an activated ability that lets Soldiers ping opponents when they attack.</p>
<p>While they both provide reach (in terms of ways around blockers), neither acts as wrath protection or a post-wrath threat.</p>
<p>What Heidegger does for Soldiers that's unique is provide a post-wrath threat. By himself, he represents wave after wave of Soldier tokens, one of which can get very big. He doesn’t need to enter combat himself to do it, either, so he can keep himself out of harm’s way, especially when opponents can present blockers.</p>
<p>These small moments are amplified when considering the roadblocks aggro decks face nowadays, including the relative size of modern creatures and the presence of lifelink on evasive threats. Racing is key, and creating opportunities for chip damage can make all-out attacks deadly later.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Heidegger, Shinra Executive</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Myrel, Shield of Argive"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prava of the Steel Legion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hero of Bladehold"></div></div>
<p>It should come as no surprise that Soldier decks need Soldiers. What may be somewhat surprising, though, is the amount of cards that make Soldier tokens. Our commander is one of them, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Myrel, Shield of Argive" href="#" target="_blank">Myrel, Shield of Argive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a similar effect, albeit one that shuts off instant-speed interaction and is a bit worse at following up a wrath effect.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prava of the Steel Legion" href="#" target="_blank">Prava of the Steel Legion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a neat partner commander option that not only makes Soldiers but also toughens them up, helping them survive <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pyroclasm" href="#" target="_blank">Pyroclasm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infest" href="#" target="_blank">Infest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hero of Bladehold" href="#" target="_blank">Hero of Bladehold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a nasty beatdown creature, making Soldiers and putting out a battle cry that our little Soldiers desperately need in order to present a threat.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daru Warchief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rescue Retriever"></div></div>
<p>Soldiers need anthems to unite under. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daru Warchief" href="#" target="_blank">Daru Warchief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the best, providing power, toughness, and a cost reduction for Soldiers. The cost reduction is vital because we don’t play mana rocks, but we do want to hit the ground running.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rescue Retriever" href="#" target="_blank">Rescue Retriever</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is not only the best boy but also is a rare Dog Soldier that isn’t a humanoid from Tarkir. The doggo is an inspiration to the troops, rallying them in the form of permanent boosts via +1/+1 counters. After all, who better to bring troops together than an adorable mascot?</p>
<p>While the majority of the deck is designed around Soldiers and anthems, we do have a couple of other important roles to fill.</p>
<p>Since we need a critical mass of bodies and mass pump effects, as well as ways to get out of board slogs, we need card draw. The majority of that draw is tied to the monarch, as we can get damage in quickly and sneak bodies through for small amounts of damage and regaining the monarch.</p>
<p>The presence of the monarch can also direct threats away from us so we don’t have to spend resources blocking, in addition to being thematic: Soldiers protect monarchs, after all!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akroma&#039;s Will"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brave the Elements"></div></div>
<p>The other major role we need is board protection, as we need permanents to stick around in order to stack abilities and develop a board presence. These cards are essentially the same as those from last week’s Cleric deck.</p>
<p>Dawn seems to be an ideal time of day for both Clerics and Soldiers, as both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dawn Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Dawn Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dawn&#039;s Truce" href="#" target="_blank">Dawn&#039;s Truce</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can protect our board. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brave the Elements" href="#" target="_blank">Brave the Elements</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are arguably better here than in the Cleric deck, as they enable big pushes of damage, slamming our large board into our opponents’ faces.</p>
<h2>How Does This Heidegger, Shinra Executive Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<p>Heidegger is a white weenie deck, plain and simple. We’re looking to fill the ground with small bodies early, pump those bodies with anthems, and either recoup card draw with the monarch or protect our board. We want to hit hard, hit early, and wrap the game up quickly before our threats get outclassed.</p>
<p>We have some light interaction, as well as some ways to create opportunities, like using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dawn Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Dawn Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to catch opponents overextending and hit them hard on the crack back. As simple as the deck may seem, patience, timing, and flexibility can be the difference between winning and losing.</p>
<p>And what would a Soldier deck be without tactical decisions?</p>
<h2>Heidegger, Shinra Executive Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Heidegger, Shinra Executive Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Heidegger, Shinra Executive
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Archetype of Courage
*1 Archon of Coronation
*1 Ballyrush Banneret
*1 Bastion Protector
*1 Benalish Commander
*1 Boromir, Warden of the Tower
*1 Bounty Agent
*1 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
*1 Captain of the Watch
*1 Catapult Master
*1 Cathar Commando
*1 Champions of Minas Tirith
*1 Coppercoat Vanguard
*1 Daru Warchief
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Field Marshal
*1 Firemane Commando
*1 Goldnight Commander
*1 Haazda Marshal
*1 Hero of Bladehold
*1 Intrepid Hero
*1 Keeper of the Accord
*1 Knight-Captain of Eos
*1 Lossarnach Captain
*1 Myrel, Shield of Argive
*1 Odric, Master Tactician
*1 Palace Jailer
*1 Palace Sentinels
*1 Platoon Dispenser
*1 Prava of the Steel Legion
*1 Precinct Captain
*1 Preeminent Captain
*1 Protector of the Crown
*1 Recruitment Officer
*1 Rescue Retriever
*1 Resolute Reinforcements
*1 Reverent Hoplite
*1 Siege Veteran
*1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
*1 Valiant Veteran
*1 Veteran Swordsmith
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Court of Ardenvale
*1 Court of Grace
*1 Noble Purpose
*1 SOLDIER Military Program
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 And They Shall Know No Fear
*1 Brave the Elements
*1 Clever Concealment
*1 Dawn Charm
*1 Dawn&#039;s Truce
*1 Divine Resilience
*1 Duty Beyond Death
*1 Flare of Fortitude
*1 Make a Stand
*1 Unbreakable Formation
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Coin of Fate
*1 Coveted Jewel
[/Artifacts]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Elspeth, Storm Slayer
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*40 Plains
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This is a fairly fast and aggressive typal deck, with its speed and board protection serving as positive traits while it’s hindered a bit by being comprised of individually small creatures and lacking strong card advantage engines.</p>
<p>We want to be pushing the pace from the beginning, putting out Soldier tokens instead of building up mana. As a result, our curve is moderately low, with our commander as a curve-topping threat that hits hard after a wrath. Heidegger wants to flood the red zone, even if it’s not safe for him to venture out himself.</p>
<p>This deck is for those who enjoy attacking, as well as those who enjoy the Vorthos/Melvin element of pieces fitting together thematically. It does take some patience to find the moments to attack profitably, as well as the willingness to see acceptable losses in order to gain advantages like the monarch.</p>
<p>When you find new ways to create openings, it’s a lot of fun, and it shows how fun aggressive decks can be!</p>


Building a Soldier Typal Deck with Heidegger, Shinra Executive

<p style="text-align: right;"><em>Image by author | Logo courtesy of Wizards of the Coast</em></p>
<p><em>Edge of Eternities</em> (<em>EOE</em>) is close to unveiling its first previews; they may arrive as soon as Friday, June 20th. The set and setting both show potential and have many implications for the known <em>Magic</em> Multiverse. However, since the advent of the <em>Universes Beyond</em> initiative, players have wondered what tie-ins might apply to a set like <em>EOE</em>.</p>
<p>This article aims to explore the potential of the space opera set and discern whether any particular intellectual properties mesh well with the potential that <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> could provide.</p>
<p>As such, I'll list a few options that seem feasible, as well as an Honorable Mention that isn't quite there for a few reasons. Before you inquire, <em>Star Wars</em> is a Disney property, as are <em>Firefly</em>, <em>Serenity</em>, and <em>The Fifth Element</em>, all by way of Fox. For that reason, we are not considering these for the potential of a tie-in. With that, let's (boldly) go!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mention: <em>Lost In Space</em> (1965)</h2>
<div id="attachment_156641" style="width: 402px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lost-in-space-poster.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156641" class="wp-image-156641" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lost-in-space-poster.png" alt="Lost In Space (1965). Image credit: CBS" width="392" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lost-in-space-poster.png 359w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lost-in-space-poster-210x300.png 210w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 392px) 100vw, 392px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-156641" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Lost In Space</em> (1965). Image credit: CBS</p></div>
<p><em>Lost In Space</em>, a television show from 1965, is my choice of an Honorable Mention for this article, as it's memorable for the few major iconic aspects it has.</p>
<p>However, while it's been remade into multiple films and even a Netflix show, the source material is a bit obscure for modern audiences. As <em>Magic</em> is a game with an intended demographic of 13+ years of age, many of this show's nuances would be lost on its younger players and collectors.</p>
<p>Furthermore, <em>Lost In Space</em> is a CBS property now, and as such is owned in part by Paramount, but it was originally a 20th Century Fox production. With Disney owning Fox and developing another rival card game, <em>Lost In Space</em> may not get the attention it might still need to shine.</p>
<h2>The <em>Dune</em> Series</h2>
<div id="attachment_156642" style="width: 383px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/dune-poster.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156642" class="wp-image-156642" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/dune-poster.png" alt="Dune (1984). Image credit: Universal Pictures" width="373" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/dune-poster.png 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/dune-poster-200x300.png 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 373px) 100vw, 373px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-156642" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Dune</em> (1984). Image credit: Universal Pictures</p></div>
<p>Author <strong>Frank Herbert</strong>'s magnum opus, the <em>Dune</em> novel series, was such a successful series that it received multiple films adapted from it. Legendary Pictures' <em>Dune</em> film series seems like the shoo-in for <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> to adapt into <em>Universes Beyond</em> (and rightly so, as Legendary is adapting <em>Magic</em> for the screen!).</p>
<p>However, it's also plausible that we could get the <em>Dune</em> of 1984, directed by the late, great <strong>David Lynch</strong>.</p>
<p>The <em>Dune</em> series as a whole already has a ton going for it. It's a space opera, and so it fits right into the timeline for <em>Edge of Eternities</em> to tie it into things. We recently got a card called <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sandworm" href="#" target="_blank">Sandworm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in <em>Final Fantasy</em> (a far cry from Shai-Hulud, yes, but a Sandworm nonetheless). Not to mention, <em>Outlaws of Thunder Junction</em> recently gave us a plethora of cards with the Desert subtype!</p>
<p>For these reasons and probably more, <em>Dune</em> could quite possibly be a tie-in we're on the verge of seeing.</p>
<h2><em>The Outer Worlds</em> (2019)</h2>
<div id="attachment_156643" style="width: 429px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-outer-worlds-key-art.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156643" class="wp-image-156643" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-outer-worlds-key-art.png" alt="The Outer Worlds (2019). Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment" width="419" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-outer-worlds-key-art.png 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-outer-worlds-key-art-225x300.png 225w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-156643" class="wp-caption-text"><em>The Outer Worlds</em> (2019). Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment</p></div>
<p>In a world simultaneously plagued by a space race and the rat race, <em>The Outer Worlds</em> feels a bit on the money. However, as it has been pointed out to me, it too essentially has space operatic elements.</p>
<p>We already know that <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> really likes when a property they're adapting to <em>Universes Beyond</em> has something upcoming when the <em>Universes Beyond</em> adaptation releases. <em>Lord of the Rings</em> had <em>The Rings of Power</em> on Amazon Prime. <em>Fallout</em>'s television show came out around the same time its Commander decks did. And <em>Jurassic World: Dominion</em> was relatively fresh in players' minds when <em>Lost Caverns of Ixalan</em> came out.</p>
<p>With a sequel coming out later this year, <em>The Outer Worlds</em> might be a great choice for a tie-in with <em>Edge of Eternities</em>.</p>
<h2>The <em>Star Trek</em> Series</h2>
<div id="attachment_156644" style="width: 405px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/star-trek-poster.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156644" class="wp-image-156644" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/star-trek-poster.png" alt="Star Trek (1966). Image credit: Paramount Global" width="395" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/star-trek-poster.png 500w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/star-trek-poster-212x300.png 212w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 395px) 100vw, 395px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-156644" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Star Trek</em> (1966). Image credit: Paramount Global</p></div>
<p>Finally, and what I believe might be the most apt possibility for a tie-in with <em>Edge of Eternities</em>, we have the <em>Star Trek</em> series.</p>
<p>As <em>Star Wars</em>' biggest competitor for "greatest space opera," <em>Star Trek</em> is also an eligible space opera that players will resonate with most out of all the others. A more utopian look at the future of galactic peace than either <em>Star Wars</em> or <em>Dune</em>, Paramount Global also owns this property.</p>
<p>For those at home keeping score, Paramount Global is the entity that hosts shows like <em>SpongeBob Squarepants</em> and <em>Avatar: The Last Airbender</em> on its streaming service, Paramount+. If those two seem even a little bit familiar to you, it's no surprise. We previously got a <em>Universes Beyond</em> property for it (in <em>SpongeBob</em>'s case) or will later this year (in <em>ATLA</em>'s case).</p>
<p>So, in many ways, <em>Star Trek</em> is likely the most plausible option for a tie-in for <em>Edge of Eternities</em> out of all of these possibilities by far.</p>
<p>With that, I'd like to open the floor to you, dear readers. What space opera makes the most sense for <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> to add to their <em>Universes Beyond</em> portfolio? And are you excited for <em>Edge of Eternities</em>? Sound off below!</p>


Could Edge of Eternities Have a Universes Beyond Tie-In?

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider" href="#" target="_blank">Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Illustrated by <a href="https://www.daarken.com/">Daarken</a></h6>
<p>Each color in <em>Magic</em> has its own strengths and weaknesses. This is one of the first things you learn about the game when you start and is what keeps most people playing for years.</p>
<p>A red deck is going to be aggressive, even in a long-form format such as commander. It specializes in direct damage, swarms of cheap and hasted creatures, and an array of artifacts to support them. Not to mention enough mana-cheating and card draw to support a verifiable engine of war.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urabrask"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Mob Boss"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raid Bombardment"></div></div>
<p>... unless you’re following this series, which is all about taking those traditional deck archetypes and turning them on their head. In that case, a red deck will play the long-game with traps, counters, and a dedicated plan of action to outplay your best maneuvers.</p>
<p>Or just straight-up randomness. That, too.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gamble"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tibalt’s Trickery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chaos Warp"></div></div>
<h1>What is Playing “Out Of Type?”</h1>
<p>Every color in <em>Magic</em> has the ability to engage with every facet of play. Red can play stax while blue can buff your creatures, even if these aren’t the “intended” archetypes of those colors, and while black might lack the “lifegain” tag white is flooded with, it has other means of increasing its life total.</p>
<p>Just like white has some creature removal despite that being black’s “thing.”</p>
<p>Playing Out Of Type or “Off-Color” is focusing on those strange and wonderful exceptions to the color pie and diving into them. Forget the game changers your color is known for and turn a blind eye to the meta.</p>
<p>Grab the worst cards you can find and cram ‘em together with some tape, elbow grease, and a prayer, 'cause where we’re going, we don’t use staples.</p>
<h1>A Quick Disclaimer</h1>
<p>Doing this is not a surefire means of victory. In fact, some might say it’s “intentionally decreasing how effective your deck is.”</p>
<p>To those people I say: yeah, and?</p>
<p>This is a style of play to shake up the rut you might be finding yourself in. Whether you’re the top of your pod and burning out from defending your crown or just looking to craft a deck you’ve never made before, part of the joy of <em>Magic</em> is exploring new possibilities, and making more decks than you’ll ever be able to play!</p>
<p>But to do so, you just have to adopt the mentality that you aren’t playing “optimally.” So when playing Off-Color, it’s probably stick to Bracket 1 or 2 where games aren’t as competitive.</p>
<p>When your green deck has fewer creatures on-board than cards in your hand, your opponents will be confused. When you follow your mana curve religiously, they’ll start asking questions. And when all you have left on your board are artifacts and enchantments, they’ll just assume you’re colorblind.</p>
<p>And that’s when you win right out from under them.</p>
<h1>What Green Does Well</h1>
<h2>Mana Gain and <em>Landfall</em></h2>
<p>I’m throwing these two together because when I think green, I think lands and creatures cosplaying as lands. It’s more common than you’d think in other colors, but the absolute poster child of this is green.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Llanowar Elves"></div></div>
<p>Green breaks the mana curve regularly due to its fundamental hatred of economics. This, of course, stems from green players’ collective illiteracy, but it works out for us because when you can’t read the rules, you don’t need to worry about things such as a limit to how many lands you can play per turn.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azusa, Lost but Seeking"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Greensleeves, Maro-Sorcerer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exploration"></div></div>
<p>Then green capitalizes off of this flouting of the rules with its rampant use of <em>Landfall</em> and its rampant use of non-<em>Landfall</em> land-based triggers.</p>
<p>So if a green player plays a land, they can benefit from it. If a green player has a lot of lands, they can benefit from that. If a green has lands in their graveyard, well that’s just a hand that takes some work to play from.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bristly Bill, Spine Sower"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tifa Lockhart"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nissa, Resurgent Animist"></div></div>
<h2>Graveyard Reclamation</h2>
<p>Speaking of the graveyard, green is second to one in its ability to access the graveyard. Black takes the cake, but green has no shortage of fetch cards for a wide variety of targets. I have to give a special shoutout to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eternal Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Eternal Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for having a blanket “grab whatever you want, on me” as an enter-the-battlefield effect.</p>
<p>Any ability that allows you to remove it from the field and return it, or otherwise play it again once it dies, skyrockets its value.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conduit of Worlds"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Multani, Yavimaya&#039;s Avatar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Splendid Reclamation"></div></div>
<h2>Quantity AND Quality of Creature</h2>
<p>The only strength green can employ which would so much as rival its infamy in the mana market is its ability to create a frankly insulting amount of creature tokens or, with its mana production, simply play strong creatures ahead of the curve to dominate the battlefield.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Parallel Lives"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Druid&#039;s Deliverance"></div></div>
<p>Not only that, green strengthens and protects creatures with keywords such as reach, hexproof, and indestructible. Or it just increases their base stats with the humble +1/+1 counter, which is itself neutral on the color-pie but has a tinge of green in its alignment.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gaea&#039;s Gift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titania&#039;s Command"></div></div>
<p>Then there’s the various temporary strength increases green loves to hand out to its creatures, and in case you were wondering if that was “just” to inflict damage, think again! Green even makes sure to use that to also benefit itself economically.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garruk&#039;s Uprising"></div></div>
<h2>Artifact/Enchantment Removal</h2>
<p>While this might be a bit needlessly restricting to playing Off-Color, I feel green’s hatred of artifacts and enchantments is core enough to its identity to include. Green struggles with removal of creatures, not removal of other types of permanents.</p>
<p>It has activated abilities, instants, and sorceries whose sole purpose are the removal of artifacts and enchantments, the lore being that they aren’t native to the natural world and so green rejects them, but still! Not the worst coverage, given the inherent strength of green’s creatures.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Naturalize"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return to Nature"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sundering Vitae"></div></div>
<h2>But What If…</h2>
<p>… you play a green deck where you build a noncombat engine?</p>
<p>It’s time to exit the forest and enter the forge, because green has a surprising amount of noncreature permanents that are quite strong! Granted, they primarily scale off of having a strong creature-base, but don’t worry about it!</p>
<p>You have alt win-cons for that.</p>
<h2>Creature Removal</h2>
<p>Green can’t destroy creatures directly most of the time, save for artifact and/or enchantment creatures. However, it has access to multiple cards which allow your creatures to deal their power in damage to another creature. Similarly, green holds domain over the “fight” keyword, which forces two creatures to attack one another.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cosmic Hunger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prey Upon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prizefight"></div></div>
<h2>Artifacts/Enchantments</h2>
<p>This one’s kind of cheating, but hear me out! Green has very little support for artifacts, so while it’s easy to say “having colorless artifacts in a green deck feels more like playing a colorless deck,” there isn’t the synergy a blue or red deck would have.</p>
<p>Green excels at removing artifacts. Remember the tidbit of lore I mentioned earlier? What’s more Off-Green than to focus on that which is not natural?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Deck of Many Things"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oviya, Automech Artisan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter"></div></div>
<p>Then following the same logic, we can also grab a few cheeky enchantments that’ll really help us set up a legitimate board state, and something that’s usually quite fun while still being Off-Green is Sagas, particularly those that field creatures.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azusa&#039;s Many Journeys"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boseiju Reaches Skyward"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jugan Defends the Temple"></div></div>
<p>Wait, no, those are VERY green. I meant more like these.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Argothian Enchantress"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The First Iroan Games"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enchantress&#039;s Presence"></div></div>
<h2>Alternative Win Conditions</h2>
<p>Green seems to struggle with alternative win conditions, at least from what I’ve seen. And for the record, I’m uncertain counting poison counter. While they aren’t “core” to green’s color identity, they’re still quite common in it.</p>
<p>Poison isn’t integral to green, though green is integral to poison. The main other color that involves poison is black through the largely phased-out infect. While Phyrexia gave us poison across all colors, it’s still largely a Golgari exclusive.</p>
<p>So if that fancies you, here’s a few green cards to get the poison going.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fynn, the Fangbearer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Infectious Bite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ichorspit Basilisk"></div></div>
<p>However, there are certain cards which simply allow you to win the game. They aren’t quite common to green and when they exist, they tend to focus on green’s strengths, so while many might bemoan their fielding, the fact you’re facing an uphill battle means it won’t be “cheap.”</p>
<p>You have to earn an Off-Green victory, because ignoring your ignoring your economy and board state aren’t markers of an easy strategy!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Helix Pinnacle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Epic Struggle"></div></div>
<h1>Green Loves Fundamentals</h1>
<p>A primal part of my brain lights up whenever I see a big number and I make it get bigger, whether mana or a creature’s strength, so I’m a green player and have been since I first started playing.</p>
<p>Green has the basic loop of magic down to a science. It plays lands, lots of them. Gets lots of mana. Plays creatures and makes them hit harder.</p>
<p>But it struggles and loses scope the further from that core loop you stray. It has some enchantment support, life gain, and card draw if you build your board right, but it can’t control your opponent’s stack or board nearly as well as any other color.</p>
<p>If you want to play Off-Green, you’re using a wooden sword to enact drone warfare. It’s a blunt tool you’re trying to be clever with, so start your engines, begin the politicking, and be prepared to have a much more open board than you’d ever feel comfortable with.</p>
<p>I’ll stick to my big numbers in the meantime.</p>


How to Play Green Differently in EDH

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malcolm, the Eyes" href="#" target="_blank">Malcolm, the Eyes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | <em>Art by</em><em> <a href="https://michaelwalshcomics.com/">Michael Walsh</a></em></h6>
<p>Last year, the <em>Magic </em>Pride event was my favorite of the year. The premise is simple: all legendary creatures have partner. This format has a nearly limitless number of potential partner combinations to construct a strategy around. The greatest challenge for me isn't building a good deck, but choosing just one deck to play at the event. In this deck tech, we're going to be taking my signature commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malcolm, the Eyes" href="#" target="_blank">Malcolm, the Eyes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and pairing him with my favorite commander from <em>Final Fantasy</em>: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malcolm, the Eyes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary"></div></div>
<h2>What Do Cloud and Malcolm Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malcolm, the Eyes" href="#" target="_blank">Malcolm, the Eyes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a two-mana commander with flying and haste. Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, you get a Clue token. That's it. In the age of commanders that have two paragraphs of rules text, I find Malcolm's simplicity refreshing. The complexity lies in how to take advantage of Malcolm's abilities. Here, I'm primarily interested in leveraging Malcolm's speed and evasion. A two-mana creature with flying is going to get through in combat very often in the early stages of the game as most opponents will still be developing their mana and establishing their engines by the time Malcolm hits the red zone.</p>
<p>Unlike Malcolm, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has quite a bit of text to work through. When Cloud enters, you search your library for an Equipment card and put it into your hand. Then, while Cloud is equipped, his abilities as well as the abilities of any Equipment attached to him trigger twice. The tutor effect is going to be key in this deck. I'm a huge fan of toolbox-style decks that have a plethora of situational cards tied together by a powerful tutor effect and Cloud is a perfect fit.</p>
<p>These two commanders are going to come together to form a really sweet Voltron deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an easy way to find the best Equipment card for any given situation and Malcolm is an evasive creature that shouldn't be difficult to connect with. Additionally, both commanders are very good attackers! This means I can theoretically work towards a turn where I kill the two most threatening opponents at the table with commander damage in a single turn, leaving only one player alive to try to stop me.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Malcolm &amp; Cloud</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buster Sword"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blade of Selves"></div></div>
<p>The most important cards in any deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the command zone are the Equipment spells. I've fit as many of the best Equipment as I can get away with in this deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buster Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Buster Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as most <em>Final Fantasy</em> fans would probably guess, has really strong synergy with Cloud. Getting to cast one spell from your hand for free is pretty good, but getting to do it twice when <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buster Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Buster Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is equipped to Cloud is a ridiculous amount of value. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blade of Selves" href="#" target="_blank">Blade of Selves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also at its best when equipped to Cloud, as attacking with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blade of Selves" href="#" target="_blank">Blade of Selves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> equipped will give you a bunch of copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sure, those copies are all going to get sacrificed to the legend rule, but each one of them will still get their enters trigger to search for an Equipment.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sigarda&#039;s Aid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Puresteel Paladin"></div></div>
<p>The weakest part of Equipment spells is that they cost mana to cast and additional mana to equip to a creature. No one wants to spend their hard-earned mana on equipping their creatures. Thankfully, a number of ways to cheat on these costs have been printed over the years. Taking a page directly out of Modern Hammer Time's playbook, this deck includes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigarda&#039;s Aid" href="#" target="_blank">Sigarda&#039;s Aid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Puresteel Paladin" href="#" target="_blank">Puresteel Paladin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, two of the most mana-efficient ways to cheat Equipment onto your creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forge Anew" href="#" target="_blank">Forge Anew</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bureau Headmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Bureau Headmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fighter Class" href="#" target="_blank">Fighter Class</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are also here to help give Cloud his <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buster Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Buster Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> without having to spend all of my mana.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thoughtcast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emry, Lurker of the Loch"></div></div>
<p>Between Malcolm's Clue tokens, artifact-based ramp, and the 15 Equipment cards in the deck, I expect this deck to have a lot of artifacts in play at any given time. I've included some cards with affinity or improvise to take full advantage of that. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thoughtcast" href="#" target="_blank">Thoughtcast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will often be a one-mana <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Divination" href="#" target="_blank">Divination</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metallic Rebuke" href="#" target="_blank">Metallic Rebuke</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> becomes a one-mana <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Leak" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Leak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> very early into most games. <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> ensures that none of your most important artifacts stay gone for long after being removed. Emry is particularly strong in a deck that plays <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra&#039;s Bauble" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra&#039;s Bauble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Bauble" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Bauble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as she'll often be able to tap to draw a card with one of those at the very least.</p>
<h2>How Do Malcolm &amp; Cloud Win the Game?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jeska, Thrice Reborn"></div></div>
<p>The most common way that a Voltron deck wins games is through commander damage, typically dealt by a commander with a critical mass of Auras or Equipment attached. This deck is no exception. It isn't all Auras and Equipment, though. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska, Thrice Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska, Thrice Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card I've been including as a finisher more and more often in my decks lately and this deck makes very good use of her. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Two-Handed Axe" href="#" target="_blank">Two-Handed Axe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> serves a similar purpose to Jeska, while being an Equipment that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stoneforge Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Stoneforge Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can fetch.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kappa Cannoneer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inkmoth Nexus"></div></div>
<p>It is important for any Voltron deck to have creatures that can get the job done in case the commanders are rendered uncastable, either by a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drannith Magistrate" href="#" target="_blank">Drannith Magistrate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or prohibitively high command tax. With all of the powerful Equipment in this deck, any creature can easily become a lethal threat, but some cards in the deck are more well-suited than others to this purpose. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kappa Cannoneer" href="#" target="_blank">Kappa Cannoneer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an unblockable menace that is easy to cast and difficult to remove. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inkmoth Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">Inkmoth Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a land that can become a creature with infect. With a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigarda&#039;s Aid" href="#" target="_blank">Sigarda&#039;s Aid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the field, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inkmoth Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">Inkmoth Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can attack and then receive an instant-speed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Colossus Hammer" href="#" target="_blank">Colossus Hammer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> after blocks to kill a player in one hit!</p>
<h2>Malcolm &amp; Cloud Commander Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Jeskai Stoneblade" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Cloud, Midgar Mercenary
*1 Malcolm, the Eyes
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Astrologian&#039;s Planisphere
*1 Blade of Selves
*1 Buster Sword
*1 Chrome Mox
*1 Colossus Hammer
*1 Conqueror&#039;s Flail
*1 Cori-Steel Cutter
*1 Lavaspur Boots
*1 Mishra&#039;s Bauble
*1 Mithril Coat
*1 Mox Amber
*1 Mox Opal
*1 Nettlecyst
*1 Pre-War Formalwear
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Springleaf Drum
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Sword of Feast and Famine
*1 Sword of Fire and Ice
*1 Two-Handed Axe
[/Artifacts]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Jeska, Thrice Reborn
*1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
[/Planeswalkers]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Dispel
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Final Fortune
*1 Flusterstorm
*1 Force of Negation
*1 Force of Will
*1 Galvanic Blast
*1 Metallic Rebuke
*1 Misdirection
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Wear // Tear
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Combat Research
*1 Curiosity
*1 Curious Obsession
*1 Fighter Class
*1 Forge Anew
*1 Frostcliff Siege
*1 Guild Artisan
*1 Sigarda&#039;s Aid
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Bureau Headmaster
*1 Emry, Lurker of the Loch
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Forensic Gadgeteer
*1 Kappa Cannoneer
*1 Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator
*1 Professional Face-Breaker
*1 Puresteel Paladin
*1 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
*1 Sram, Senior Edificer
*1 Stoneforge Mystic
*1 Subtlety
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
[/Creatures]
[Lands]
*1 Academy Ruins
*1 Ancient Den
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Great Furnace
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Inkmoth Nexus
*1 Island
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Mountain
*1 Plains
*1 Plateau
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Razortide Bridge
*1 Rustvale Bridge
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Seat of the Synod
*1 Silverbluff Bridge
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Spire of Industry
*1 Starting Town
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Training Center
*1 Tundra
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 Volcanic Island
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]
[Sorceries]
*1 Eagle Vision
*1 Shattering Spree
*1 Thoughtcast
*1 Winds of Abandon
[/Sorceries]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>I'd place this deck into the lower end of the Optimized Bracket (4). The suite of interaction and ramp is packed with Game Changers, and this deck has a very fast gameplan that would most likely be overwhelming to less interactive decks in the lower brackets. It wouldn't be a big ask to tone it down to fit into the Upgraded Bracket (3) for someone that isn't as committed to playing cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chrome Mox" href="#" target="_blank">Chrome Mox</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>This deck is made for players that like to feel like they're putting a puzzle together each turn. The decision trees start to get complicated as early as turn two where you have to decide which commander to deploy first, and then what Equipment Cloud will fetch first. While it is incredibly fun to navigate those decision trees, they come with a very real risk. Even the most skilled pilot could make a wrong choice early on in a game and doom themselves in the process. I love the feeling of that risk hanging over my head, but it certainly isn't for everyone.</p>
<p>I love building for this variant of Commander, even if I only get to play it twice a year. I'm excited to see what interesting combinations the people at my local game store came up with this year, and I'm equally excited to hear about what pairings the people in the comments have come up with!</p>
<p>For more Malcolm, the Eyes content, be sure to check out <a href="https://commandersherald.com/60-to-100-legacy-delver/">my article</a> about him over on Commander's Herald. Even with all of the awesome tools recent sets have given us, I believe this version of the deck still holds up.</p>


Cloud, Midgar Mercenary &#038; Malcolm, the Eyes Pride Event Deck Tech

Zack Fair, the Self-Sacrificing Hero - Commander Deck Tech

Deckbuilding Contest Finalists - June 2025

Ping your Opponents Trim-Style With a Mighty Merfolk Deck Tech

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Juri, Master of the Revue" href="#" target="_blank">Juri, Master of the Revue</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art By <a href="https://www.artstation.com/burmak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dmitry Burmak</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <i>Archetypes of Imagination</i>, the series in which we build decks based on popular Commander archetypes. I'm back with another unhinged addition to this otherwise very normal series. Let's look at how best to shove our commander in a cannon and blast him at our opponents by making a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/fling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fling deck</a>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fling"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fling" href="#" target="_blank">Fling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decks are built around the eponymous spell's effect of sacrificing a creature to deal damage equal to its stats to another player or permanent.</p>
<p>Decks with this strategy try to take opponents down with noncombat damage, either by flinging lots of different creatures via a commander that has the ability - see <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brion Stoutarm" href="#" target="_blank">Brion Stoutarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ziatora, the Incinerator" href="#" target="_blank">Ziatora, the Incinerator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - or by making a commander so absolutely massive that one fling from it will end someone's game on the spot - like absolute chungus, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thromok the Insatiable" href="#" target="_blank">Thromok the Insatiable</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brion Stoutarm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ziatora, the Incinerator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thromok the Insatiable"></div></div>
<p>I'll be using <a href="https://tagger.scryfall.com/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scryfall's tagging system</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">EDHREC's Tag pages</a> to build a deck around our theme, using a commander that actually manages to combine the two methods together all wrapped up in a sacrifice matters sub-theme.</p>
<h2>Skewer the Critics, and Your Opponents!</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Juri, Master of the Revue" href="#" target="_blank">Juri, Master of the Revue</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a two-cost, Rakdos (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) legendary creature with just one power and toughness each. However, whenever you sacrifice any kind of permanent, Juri will get a +1/+1 counter added to him.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Juri, Master of the Revue"></div></div>
<p>You might know Juri as the head honcho of The Cult of Rakdos' premier, blood-soaked, cursed clown circus on the plane of Ravnica. When I play my own personal build of him, I like to refer to Juri as the O.B.L. (the Orbital Death Laser).</p>
<p>The strategy is incredibly simple with this deck. We sacrifice as many of our permanents for value as possible and all the while, Juri gets more and more swole. Then, when Juri dies for any reason (usually because we sacrificed him) he deals damage equal to his power to any target of our choice.</p>
<h3>Forking the Fling</h3>
<p>One of the troubles of a Fling deck is trying to find a card in your deck that delivers the effect. Whether it's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fling" href="#" target="_blank">Fling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> itself or one of the other cards that have been printed that delivers the same effect. This is usually why people like to go for a commander that has the effect stapled on them, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brion Stoutarm" href="#" target="_blank">Brion Stoutarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>But the problem with those cards is the fact that they then need to find and cast something big to actually fling.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fork"></div></div>
<p>Juri allows us to eat our cake and have it too, not only by having the ability to get super large with a load of sacrifices in our deck, but also by flinging himself whenever he dies.</p>
<p>The fun thing about this effect being triggered by Juri dying though is that by sacrificing him to a card like Fling, we actually get to double dip. We get two different instances of damage going to any target equal to Juri's power.</p>
<p>In an ideal final turn of the game we could potentially swing Juri in to one of our opponents, dealing lethal commander damage, then cast Fling and deal lethal noncombat damage to both of the other players at the table.</p>
<p>That might seem ambitious but it's in fact very achievable. I've done it multiple times before!</p>
<h2>Charging Up the Laser</h2>
<p>Before we can start shooting the laser at our opponents, we gotta charge it up first. And that means making some sacrifices. Not of any great loss to us of course, as we'll be sacrificing pretty much everything we have for value to add counters to our commander.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fabled Passage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Terramorphic Expanse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolving Wilds"></div></div>
<p>There's a huge amount of things we can sacrifice in Commander, and Juri doesn't really care what we're sacrificing when we're triggering his ability. Even just sacking a land like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terramorphic Expanse" href="#" target="_blank">Terramorphic Expanse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will net us a +1/+1 counter.</p>
<p>As we're in Rakdos (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-br" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) colors, it would be downright senseless of us to ignore <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treasure" href="#" target="_blank">Treasure</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> tokens. Most people who've played one or two games of Commander, especially against <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prosper, Tome-Bound" href="#" target="_blank">Prosper, Tome-Bound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, will know how busted they can be in the format. There's a reason they banned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dockside Extortionist" href="#" target="_blank">Dockside Extortionist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Reaver Cleaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadly Dispute"></div></div>
<p>There's plenty of great cards that can dump out Treasure tokens for us during the game.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Reaver Cleaver" href="#" target="_blank">The Reaver Cleaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an absolutely terrifying thing to put on a giant commander as it is, but when you can also make that commander even bigger with the Treasures it makes, it gets even worse. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Dispute" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Dispute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allow us to see card draw, sac a creature, and make a Treasure to sac later all in one card.</p>
<h3>Keeping Momentum</h3>
<p>One of the common pitfalls of a strategy like this is running out of things to sacrifice and floating around with a midsized Juri and no good targets.</p>
<p>When you're picking your sac outlets, try and look for cards that not only sacrifice stuff but also give you other bits of sac fodder in return.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warren Soultrader"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orcish Bowmasters"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ophiomancer"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warren Soultrader" href="#" target="_blank">Warren Soultrader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a perfect bit of tech, allowing you to not only blend up your chaff creatures but also get a Treasure token for your troubles. These double value cards will get your Juri snowball rolling much faster in the long run.</p>
<p>To make sure you have good access to expendable creatures, a few token generators will definitely come in handy. It's a <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changer</a>, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orcish Bowmasters" href="#" target="_blank">Orcish Bowmasters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will put in serious work. Or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ophiomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Ophiomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can also provide plenty of access to bodies as well.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghoulcaller Gisa"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghoulcaller Gisa" href="#" target="_blank">Ghoulcaller Gisa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works perfectly in a Juri deck as it not only works as a sacrifice trigger, and a way to sac Juri himself, but it also can turn Juri's huge statline into an army of 2/2 Zombie tokens.</p>
<h2>Pull the Trigger</h2>
<p>When we've got Juri suitably fattened up for the cannon, it's time to light the fuse and fling for the win.</p>
<p>As I've mentioned before, the benefit of this commander is that it comes pre loaded with its Fling effect. We can have Juri die to any effect at all to blast his power into someone's face at instant speed. But having Juri die to one of those Fling effects will effectively double the amount of damage he can do.</p>
<p>For that reason, we definitely want to include some of those cards in our list. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fling" href="#" target="_blank">Fling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works great of course but we can also use some other options to achieve the same goal.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Callous Sell-Sword"></div></div>
<p>The adventure spell on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Callous Sell-Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Callous Sell-Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Burn Together, trades instant speed for one less mana. It also has the potential benefit of only sacrificing Juri if the spell actually resolves, rather than it being a casting cost. At least if it gets countered, we won't miss out on our double damage!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Voldaren Thrillseeker"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voldaren Thrillseeker" href="#" target="_blank">Voldaren Thrillseeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of my personal favorite picks using the currently set-exclusive mechanic of Backup which puts two +1/+1 counters on Juri and gives him the Fling text as an activated ability until end of turn for the price of one mana. And of course you can even fling the Thrillseeker herself!</p>
<h2>Backup Cannon Fodder</h2>
<p>One thing to bear in mind when building this deck is that it (like pretty much everything I build, honestly) is very commander centric. This deck doesn't really do a whole lot if Juri isn't on the board.</p>
<p>Luckily our commander is super cheap at only two mana to cast, so we can get a few instances of him out through the course of a game. But if we started getting loaded up with commander tax, it would be good to get some alternate options to fling.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Storm-Kiln Artist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Plumb the Forbidden"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm-Kiln Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Storm-Kiln Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works as a nice combo with Juri, not only providing us Treasures whenever we cast or copy instants and sorceries, but also getting more and more power with each artifact we have on the board. If Juri is out we can sac the Treasures to make him bigger. If he isn't, then we can keep the Treasures around and think about flinging the artist instead.</p>
<p>This card pairs so well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plumb the Forbidden" href="#" target="_blank">Plumb the Forbidden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (shock horror, they're from the same set) as we dump a ton of card draw, sacrifice triggers, and Treasures.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crime Novelist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blackblade Reforged"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crime Novelist" href="#" target="_blank">Crime Novelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is like a sort of soft-Juri clone. He can't fling himself but he does get bigger whenever we sacrifice an artifact - not to mention he'll provide us with an extra red mana for each of our spent treasure Tokens. Double mana Treasures can provide us with some explosive turns, and this creature once again gives us some redundancy for our strategy.</p>
<p>I'll also give a quick mention to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blackblade Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Blackblade Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and other such Equipment cards that give a huge boost to our creatures. These can make fling fodder out of pretty much anything.</p>
<h2>Build It Yourself</h2>
<p>Fling decks are pretty simple to put together and a ton of fun to play. Taking out an entire table in one fell swoop feels unreal when you pull it off and even the sorest of losers will at least be treated to some spectacle. Just like the Cult of Rakdos would have wanted.</p>
<h2>Juri, Master of the Revue Fling Commander Deck List</h2>
<p>If you want to build Juri for yourself, here's a list I've played before below with some pretty good results.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Fling - Archetypes of Imagination" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Juri, Master of the Revue
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Ayara, Widow of the Realm // Ayara, Furnace Queen
*1 Bladewing, Deathless Tyrant
*1 Callous Sell-Sword // Burn Together
*1 Captain Lannery Storm
*1 Crime Novelist
*1 Decadent Dragon // Expensive Taste
*1 Enterprising Scallywag
*1 Feldon of the Third Path
*1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
*1 Goblin Cratermaker
*1 Hoard Robber
*1 Hoarding Ogre
*1 Kalain, Reclusive Painter
*1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
*1 Lagomos, Hand of Hatred
*1 Lobelia Sackville-Baggins
*1 Mahadi, Emporium Master
*1 Marching Duodrone
*1 Mirkwood Bats
*1 Ophiomancer
*1 Orcish Bowmasters
*1 Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink
*1 Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded
*1 Rankle and Torbran
*1 Redcap Gutter-Dweller
*1 Soulcoil Viper
*1 Storm-Kiln Artist
*1 Stormclaw Rager
*1 Tangled Colony
*1 Tavern Scoundrel
*1 The Balrog, Durin&#039;s Bane
*1 Voldaren Thrillseeker
*1 Warren Soultrader
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Beamtown Beatstick
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Fire Diamond
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mithril Coat
*1 Oni-Cult Anvil
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Tenza, Godo&#039;s Maul
*1 The Reaver Cleaver
*1 Urabrask&#039;s Forge
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Fanatical Offering
*1 Feign Death
*1 Flare of Duplication
*1 Fling
*1 Nasty End
*1 Orcish Medicine
*1 Plumb the Forbidden
*1 Unexpected Windfall
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Blasphemous Edict
*1 Bloodsoaked Insight // Sanguine Morass
*1 Burn Down the House
*1 Furnace Reins
*1 Lash of the Balrog
*1 Lich-Knights&#039; Conquest
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Scavenger&#039;s Talent
*1 Shiny Impetus
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Blackcleave Cliffs
*1 Blightstep Pathway // Searstep Pathway
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Dwarven Mine
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Foreboding Ruins
*1 Fountainport
*1 Graven Cairns
*1 Great Hall of the Citadel
*1 Mount Doom
*8 Mountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Raucous Theater
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Sulfurous Springs
*8 Swamp
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
[/Lands]"></span></div>


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