Ranking Every Planeswalker with EDHREC – 2021 Edition

Too-Specific Top 10 - Indestructiwhat?

Reconstruct History — Outpost Siege

These Cards Do WORK! - Phenax, God of Deception

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl" href="#" target="_blank">Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/campbellwhite">Campbell White</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo Melibeu, and this is <em>Epic Experiment</em>, a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p>In this article, we'll be taking a look at an impressive Bant commander. Its ability to dominate the battlefield with its titanic effects while also providing a solid cover against single target removal allows him to be a force to be reckoned with. It's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl" href="#" target="_blank">Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl"></div></div>
<h2>Observations</h2>
<ul>
<li>Storvald is a powerful creature enabler, and as such, can lead a myriad of creature-based strategies. Since most of his damage relies on combat, passing him around with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assault Suit" href="#" target="_blank">Assault Suit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could provide deadly results.</li>
<li>Although his <em>Ward</em>-granting ability is a great deterrent against single-target removal, the multiplayer nature of the format makes this a bit less desirable, given the prevalence of board wipes.</li>
<li>He costs a whopping seven mana just on the first cast. His high mana cost is a huge downside, especially since he's so threatening-looking and will draw attention. This relegates him to more of a support role, offering benefits for a specific strategy, rather than being the main point of a deck.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emeria Angel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Empyrean Eagle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trygon Predator"></div></div>
<p>When building Storvald, we need to choose which creatures we're trying to buff. Evasive creatures get more bang for our buck, but it's not a must-have, since we also get the debuff effect with the attack trigger. 'Flying Matters' is an archetype that's been gaining some more steam lately, and is a great pseudo-tribal strategy that works pretty decently without our commander's help.</p>
<p>We have plenty of anthem effects to use, which stack pretty quickly with our evasive threats, and also work great with our commander, who doesn't override the buffs, but just changes base power and toughness. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderclap Wyvern" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderclap Wyvern</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Empyrean Eagle" href="#" target="_blank">Empyrean Eagle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thraben Watcher" href="#" target="_blank">Thraben Watcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are simple buffs, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kangee&#039;s Lieutenant" href="#" target="_blank">Kangee&#039;s Lieutenant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kangee, Sky Warden" href="#" target="_blank">Kangee, Sky Warden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a bit more situational, but also tend to be cheaper. We also have some noncreature helpers, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Favorable Winds" href="#" target="_blank">Favorable Winds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. They can be a bit less effective than their creature counterparts, since they can't attack, but on the other hand, they're more resilient against board wipes.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overcharged Amalgam"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hanged Executioner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glorious Protector"></div></div>
<p>Flying creatures are spread all throughout <em>Magic</em> history, which means we have plenty of powerful utility options for our deck. As we'll soon see, this deck can draws a lot of cards, so having access to a huge amount of threat density is great. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gryffwing Cavalry" href="#" target="_blank">Gryffwing Cavalry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wingcrafter" href="#" target="_blank">Wingcrafter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allow our commander to fly, which, with his 7 power, can get out of hand pretty quickly, opening up a nice secondary win condition. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hanged Executioner" href="#" target="_blank">Hanged Executioner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trygon Predator" href="#" target="_blank">Trygon Predator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Remorseful Cleric" href="#" target="_blank">Remorseful Cleric</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are removal on a stick, which is a great way to continually apply pressure while making it harder for the game to spiral out of our control.</p>
<p>Being a creature-based go-wide deck, it's important to have a defensive suite of creatures to avoid getting blown out. Our commander gives us a nice buffer against single-target removal, and together with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jubilant Skybonder" href="#" target="_blank">Jubilant Skybonder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Judge&#039;s Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Judge&#039;s Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, they make removing our creatures very taxing. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate" href="#" target="_blank">Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Selfless Spirit" href="#" target="_blank">Selfless Spirit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glorious Protector" href="#" target="_blank">Glorious Protector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all, to some degree or another, play a crucial role protecting against board wipes.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Storvald Flying Matters" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*Birds of Paradise
*Gilded Goose
*Judge&#039;s Familiar
*Noble Hierarch
*Spectral Sailor
*Wingcrafter
*Cartographer&#039;s Hawk
*Ice-Fang Coatl
*Maraleaf Pixie
*Pride of Clouds
*Remorseful Cleric
*Selfless Spirit
*Skycat Sovereign
*Watcher of the Spheres
*Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
*Empyrean Eagle
*Hanged Executioner
*Jubilant Skybonder
*Kangee&#039;s Lieutenant
*Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
*Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate
*Loyal Drake
*Trygon Predator
*Warden of Evos Isle
*Welcoming Vampire
*Angelic Field Marshal
*Donal, Herald of Wings
*Emeria Angel
*Glorious Protector
*Gryffwing Captain
*Overcharged Amalgam
*Shalai, Voice of Plenty
*Thraben Watcher
*Thunderclap Wyvern
*Tide Skimmer
*Kangee, Sky Warden
*Mulldrifter
*Archetype of Imagination
*Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*Sol Ring
*Arcane Signet
*Bident of Thassa
[/Artifact]
[Enchantment]
*Favorable Winds
*Always Watching
*Coastal Piracy
*Reconnaissance Mission
*Gravitational Shift
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Nature&#039;s Claim
*Path To Exile
*Swords to Plowshares
*Arcane Denial
*Dovin&#039;s Veto
*Heroic Intervention
*Negate
*Teferi&#039;s Protection
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Farseek
*Nature&#039;s Lore
*Rampant Growth
*Three Visits
*Harvest Season
*Winged Words
*Beck // Call
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Adarkar Wastes
*Barkchannel Pathway
*Bountiful Promenade
*Branchloft Pathway
*Breeding Pool
*Brushland
*City of Brass
*Command Tower
*Exotic Orchard
*Fabled Passage
*Flooded Strand
*Hallowed Fountain
*Hengegate Pathway
*Mana Confluence
*Polluted Delta
*Prismatic Vista
*Rejuvenation Springs
*Sea of Clouds
*Seaside Citadel
*Temple Garden
*Windswept Heath
*Wooded Foothills
*Yavimaya Coast
*5 Forest
*3 Island
*6 Plains
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>Our strategy relies on going wide, so card draw is very, very important. With more cards, we can access more creatures, going even wider, but we also just need more creatures in hand in case we need to recover from an opponent's board wipe. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bident of Thassa" href="#" target="_blank">Bident of Thassa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coastal Piracy" href="#" target="_blank">Coastal Piracy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reconnaissance Mission" href="#" target="_blank">Reconnaissance Mission</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are efficient ways to get a consistent flow of cards, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mulldrifter" href="#" target="_blank">Mulldrifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spectral Sailor" href="#" target="_blank">Spectral Sailor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beck // Call" href="#" target="_blank">Beck // Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winged Words" href="#" target="_blank">Winged Words</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allow us to recover or to develop even when we're not fully online yet. This is important, since we can't count on always having a small army at every point of the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Birds of Paradise"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Derevi, Empyrial Tactician"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warden of Evos Isle"></div></div>
<p>Having on-theme ways to accelerate our mana is great, especially when we're combining them with our impressive card draw suite. The best part is that they never truly feel like dead cards; in the early game we can use the extra mana to our advantage, while later on they can still attack, either with our Anthems or with our commander pumping them up! A 7/7 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Birds of Paradise" href="#" target="_blank">Birds of Paradise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a sight to behold. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Derevi, Empyrial Tactician" href="#" target="_blank">Derevi, Empyrial Tactician</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an incredible addition to the list, providing a solid burst in mana, like our very own version of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Feast and Famine" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Feast and Famine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warden of Evos Isle" href="#" target="_blank">Warden of Evos Isle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Watcher of the Spheres" href="#" target="_blank">Watcher of the Spheres</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are impressive pieces of acceleration that not many tribes have access to, and they can get out of hand when combined with our card draw.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
<p>For our opening hand, we're looking mostly for a solid curve of threats, which isn't that hard, given how many of them we have. With the number of helpful <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warden of Evos Isle" href="#" target="_blank">Warden of Evos Isle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, and the number of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kangee&#039;s Lieutenant" href="#" target="_blank">Kangee&#039;s Lieutenant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects that are ready to buff them, we're pretty fast at building a decent-sized board state, so utilizing this early lead to our advantage is crucial if we want to succeed.</p>
<p>In the early game, we're mostly just poking at our opponents with our creatures. This is an important step because every point of damage pressures our opponents further down the line (especially when considering our commander).</p>
<p>By the mid-game we'll have plenty of powerful draw triggers off our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coastal Piracy" href="#" target="_blank">Coastal Piracy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> enchantments that can help us take over the board. Our Anthem effects provide a solid clock, which means our threats will need to be answered quickly, or our opposition will never recover. Don't neglect the importance of tempo! Our commander is a nice catch-up in games where we aren't as fast as we wish.</p>
<p>We have a lot of potential when we reach the late game. On the one hand, our commander allows for a sudden burst of damage even if we're behind, dealing 14 damage with just one other creature. On the other hand, we tend to have ways of building boards that are very hard to answer when we've pulled ahead. One thing that we lack, however, is that big <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-like effect. Don't get me wrong, we do have plenty of powerful draws that gives this type of punch, but it's never of the Hoof magnitude. Our end-of-game plans rely very much on the continual pecking at enemy life totals from the very start of the game.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Avacyn, Angel of Hope"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thieving Skydiver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sigardian Savior"></div></div>
<p>There are a lot of great fliers that we could add to the list if we wanted to keep exploring this experiment! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avacyn, Angel of Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Avacyn, Angel of Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s additional protection against board wipe comes in handy quite often. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Consecrated Sphinx" href="#" target="_blank">Consecrated Sphinx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an EDH staple for a good reason, and adding it to our list will help us keep our grip full. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thieving Skydiver" href="#" target="_blank">Thieving Skydiver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a nice little addition, stealing <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>s and other useful artifacts while also being a cheap body.</p>
<p>One subtheme that might be worth investing in is recursion. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigardian Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Sigardian Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a very efficient 3-for-1 that can be played after a board wipe and very easily pay for itself with its ETB.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment</em>! What do you think of this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which did you not? Was this <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


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