Archetune-Up - Spirited Away

Commander Showdown - Wilhelt vs The Horde

Too-Specific Top 10 - Bird-Arms!

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Arbiter Augustin, IV" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Arbiter Augustin, IV</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Original art by <a href="http://www.matthew-stewart.com/">Matt Stewart</a>)</span></h6>
<h1>Coming Soon to a <del>Theater</del> Table Near You</h1>
<p><em>Power Sink</em> is back with a vengeance. In a world dominated by high-powered commanders, one article series is out to take them down (in power level). This time, it's teaming up with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Arbiter Augustin IV" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Arbiter Augustin IV</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to get him out of his chair and into the streets.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grand Arbiter Augustin IV"></div></div>
<p>Grand Arbiter comes in as the number 158 commander on EDHREC, touting 1,198 decks. In terms of just Azorius commanders, this makes him number three with a bullet at the blue-white box office. Augustin has been in this game a long time, originally printed back in 2006. During that time he's ruffled a lot of feathers and earned a 2.22 <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/salt">Salt Score</a>, making him the 23rd saltiest card in the entire format. With his tax effect, Grand Arbiter is known for keeping other players from doing what they want to do by covering it with a bunch of bureaucratic red tape, while his cost discount makes it easier to cast his own spells, which often make sure everyone else has to go through even more of the proper protocols.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Grand Arbiter Average Deck" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Archon of Emeria
*1 Aven Mindcensor
*1 Azor&#039;s Elocutors
*1 Consecrated Sphinx
*1 Drannith Magistrate
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Fatespinner
*1 Grand Abolisher
*1 Hullbreacher
*1 Hushbringer
*1 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
*1 Mangara, the Diplomat
*1 Spelltithe Enforcer
*1 Strict Proctor
*1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
*1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
*1 Wandering Archaic
*1 Windborn Muse
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Aura of Silence
*1 Authority of the Consuls
*1 Blind Obedience
*1 Ghostly Prison
*1 Land Tax
*1 Mystic Remora
*1 Propaganda
*1 Rest in Peace
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 Sphere of Safety
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Dovin&#039;s Veto
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Force of Will
*1 Mana Drain
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Negate
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Render Silent
*1 Sphinx&#039;s Revelation
*1 Swan Song
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 God-Pharaoh&#039;s Statue
*1 Jeweled Lotus
*1 Mana Crypt
*1 Norn&#039;s Annex
*1 Sensei&#039;s Divining Top
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 Winter Orb
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Approach of the Second Sun
*1 Ponder
*1 Preordain
*1 Solve the Equation
*1 Supreme Verdict
*1 Time Wipe
*1 Wrath of God
[/Sorceries]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Dovin, Hand of Control
*1 Narset, Parter of Veils
*1 Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Hengegate Pathway
*1 Irrigated Farmland
*9 Island
*1 Nimbus Maze
*11 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Temple of Enlightenment
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>In case his own tax effect wasn't enough, Grand Arbiter is running even more mandatory tax effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia, Guardian of Thraben" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia, Guardian of Thraben</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spelltithe Enforcer" href="#" target="_blank">Spelltithe Enforcer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dovin, Hand of Control" href="#" target="_blank">Dovin, Hand of Control</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, making it tough to pay for the <em>optional</em> tax cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wandering Archaic" href="#" target="_blank">Wandering Archaic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>There are also a bunch of cards in the average deck that just straight up disallow things: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Parter of Veils" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Parter of Veils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stops additional card draw, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hushbringer" href="#" target="_blank">Hushbringer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> shuts off ETB and Aristocrat strategies, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fatespinner" href="#" target="_blank">Fatespinner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes opponents skip one of their phases, and <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> says "no" to anything not cast from a player's hand, which is bad news for anyone who wants to cast their commander. Board wipes like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are somehow made even worse than normal, as opponents have to jump through tons of hoops to replay their cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Approach of the Second Sun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thalia Guardian of Thraben"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Drannith Magistrate"></div></div>
<p>The end result is a deck that makes it nigh impossible for opponents to resolve anything, while the Grand Arbiter deck takes its time to put together a win with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or some sort of combo.</p>
<p>However, this has been the typical Grand Arbiter deck for long enough. His reputation has been smeared, so for this article, he's out for revenge. In the past, he made them pay mana, but this time, he's just going to make them pay.</p>
<hr />
<p><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">I'm All Out of Bubblegum</span></strong></p>
<p>For this deck we're dropping the stax and tax and taking the fight to our opponents. People don't expect blue and white to leave opponents black and blue, but Azorius fliers has long been a consistent combat-focused draft archetype, and there have been several excellent creatures printed throughout <em>Magic</em>'s history that are ready to bring the pain. Instead of trying to slow down our opponents, we're going to capitalize on our commander's cost reduction to drop devastating haymakers way ahead of schedule.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Grand Arbiter: Arbit Harder" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Azor, the Lawbringer
*1 Cloudblazer
*1 Deputy of Detention
*1 Dragonlord Ojutai
*1 Dream Trawler
*1 Drogskol Reaver
*1 Ethereal Valkyrie
*1 Hero of Precinct One
*1 Intrepid Adversary
*1 Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker
*1 Isperia, Supreme Judge
*1 Knight of the White Orchid
*1 Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate
*1 Loyal Drake
*1 Loyal Warhound
*1 Medomai the Ageless
*1 Midnight Pathlighter
*1 Reflector Mage
*1 Selfless Spirit
*1 Shabraz, the Skyshark
*1 Spell Queller
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Sunscorch Regent
*1 Thistledown Liege
*1 Unsettled Mariner
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Bident of Thassa
*1 Heraldic Banner
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Strixhaven Stadium
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Tome of Legends
*1 Tome of the Guildpact
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Cloud Cover
*1 Detention Sphere
*1 Duelist&#039;s Heritage
*1 Reconnaissance Mission
*1 Righteous Authority
*1 True Conviction
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Austere Command
*1 Chart a Course
*1 Cleansing Nova
*1 Migratory Route
*1 Time Wipe
*1 Winds of Abandon
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 Counterspell
*1 Delay
*1 Dovin&#039;s Veto
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Heliod&#039;s Intervention
*1 Keep Watch
*1 Make a Stand
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Resculpt
*1 Sphinx&#039;s Revelation
*1 Unbreakable Formation
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Castle Ardenvale
*1 Castle Vantress
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Glacial Floodplain
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Guildmages&#039; Forum
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Hengegate Pathway
*10 Island
*1 Nimbus Maze
*12 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>We're focusing heavily on multicolor creatures to take full advantage of Arbiter's discount. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shabraz the Skyshark" href="#" target="_blank">Shabraz the Skyshark</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker" href="#" target="_blank">Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sunscorch Regent" href="#" target="_blank">Sunscorch Regent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> become big threats very quickly, and Shabraz even has the added benefit of giving Grand Arbiter flying, so even our commander can get in for a little extra damage. Conveniently, some of our heavy hitters, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ethereal Valkyrie" href="#" target="_blank">Ethereal Valkyrie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonlord Ojutai" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonlord Ojutai</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, draw us cards when they head into combat.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Drogskol Reaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Medomai, the Ageless"></div></div>
<p>We aren't really leaning on lifegain, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drogskol Reaver" href="#" target="_blank">Drogskol Reaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can take advantage of the limited lifegain effects we happen to have, along with its native lifelink; just make sure the Reaver isn't out at the same time as Shabraz, or you'll be forced to draw your whole deck! With so many multicolor spells in this list, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hero of Precinct One" href="#" target="_blank">Hero of Precinct One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is going to generate a lot of tokens. Finally, if it manages to connect, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Medomai, the Ageless" href="#" target="_blank">Medomai, the Ageless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can give us an extra turn, complete with another attack step, doubling up our beats.</p>
<hr />
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Do You Feel Lucky? Well, Do Ya, Punk?</strong></span></p>
<p>Eventually, our opponents will likely notice that we've become a threat to their organization and will send their assassins (read: removal) to deal with us. Of course, we've prepared for this with a suite of protection effects. <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> and <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> offer on-board protection for our creatures, along with the capability to do some damage in the air. Speaking of damage, <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="Unbreakable Formation" href="#" target="_blank">Unbreakable Formation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can protect our board or provide us with even more combat prowess.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unbreakable Formation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud Cover"></div></div>
<p>The protection doesn't stop there! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unsettled Mariner" href="#" target="_blank">Unsettled Mariner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> adds a tax on targeting our permanents, and while opponents might not want to see another tax effect, it's not like we're <em>making</em> them target our stuff! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Swiftfoot Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are format staples for the protection they provide, but the haste they give is important for our creature-based strategy. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud Cover" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud Cover</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will make it hard to keep our beaters down for good, since we can save them by returning them to hand, and even though they need to be recast, our commander makes that much easier. We've even got a few counterspells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dovin&#039;s Veto" href="#" target="_blank">Dovin&#039;s Veto</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Delay" href="#" target="_blank">Delay</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to either protect our board or shut down a problematic enemy spell.</p>
<hr />
<p><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You to Die</strong></span></p>
<p>Having a few big, evasive creatures will get you pretty far in a Commander game, but we'll need a bit more weight behind our punches to take out three opponents. Both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Duelist&#039;s Heritage" href="#" target="_blank">Duelist&#039;s Heritage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="True Conviction" href="#" target="_blank">True Conviction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give us that one-two punch with double strike, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thistledown Liege" href="#" target="_blank">Thistledown Liege</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> takes advantage of the fact that most of our creatures are multicolored. Plus, since all of our creatures are white, we're going to want to choose 'white' for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heraldic Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Heraldic Banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thistledown Liege"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="True Conviction"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Midnight Pathlighter"></div></div>
<p>From the recently-released <em>Innistrad: Midnight Hunt</em> set, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Intrepid Adversary" href="#" target="_blank">Intrepid Adversary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be a a huge boost, provided that you have a lot of mana. With the numerous card draw effects in our deck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Righteous Authority" href="#" target="_blank">Righteous Authority</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can help do a lot of damage. For those times that flying just isn't enough, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Midnight Pathlighter" href="#" target="_blank">Midnight Pathlighter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will make blocking nigh impossible, and on top of that, we can even get some extra value from venturing into the dungeon!</p>
<hr />
<p><strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Hasta la Vista, Baby</span></strong></p>
<p>There's no denying that Grand Arbiter has a bad reputation, but I think much of the ire comes from what people expect from the 99. While that one-mana tax can be annoying, it doesn't really stop anyone from playing the game; people supposedly pay the one for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, after all. Grand Arbiter is just as much a ramp card as it is a hatebear, and I think anyone looking to play a casual version of this commander would do well to treat it this way when brewing and when discussing a deck in a rule zero conversation.</p>
<p>I'm not the first person with this idea for a Grand Arbiter deck - back in 2017, <a href="http://www.commandercookout.com/">Commander Cookout podcast</a> did an <a href="https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/commandercookout/episodes/2017-10-26T17_57_48-07_00">episode</a> on a very similar deck. Of course, a beatdown deck isn't the only way to approach this commander. Human tribal and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persistent Petitioners" href="#" target="_blank">Persistent Petitioners</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> show up as notable themes on Grand Arbiter's EDHREC page, and Coach JRO (a.k.a <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/unsummonedskull">Unsummoned Skull</a> on Twitch) has a spicy <a href="https://www.moxfield.com/decks/tUYudS0sw0SGYdosF5bHyg"><em>Storm</em> deck</a> he was kind enough to share.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Erratic Explosion"></div></div>
<p>It's about time for us to walk away from this explosion without looking at it. Let me know in the comments if this Grand Arbiter deck is worth the price of admission and if there are any commanders you'd like me to line up for the inevitable sequel.</p>


Power Sink - Arbit Harder

The Toolbox - Court of Cunning

Archetune-Up - As Thirsty as a Rose

Too-Specific Top 10 - "Landfall"

Reconstruct History — White Board Wipes

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is the comprehensive guide to playing the Aura of Courage precon, led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galea, Kindler of Hope!" href="#" target="_blank">Galea, Kindler of Hope!</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> This guide contains all the secrets to piloting Aura of Courage to victory straight out of the box!</span></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/aura-of-courage.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-76011 size-medium" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/aura-of-courage-300x300.jpg" alt="aura of courage precon list edh commander" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/aura-of-courage-300x300.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/aura-of-courage-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/aura-of-courage-150x150.jpg 150w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/aura-of-courage-768x768.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/aura-of-courage-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/aura-of-courage.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Galea, Kindler of Hope"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The main strategy of the Aura of Courage deck is to use Auras and Equipment to suit up one creature into an unstoppable threat that can eliminate opponents one by one. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Galea supports this game plan perfectly, not only by having solid baseline stats, but by granting access to any Auras and Equipment on top of the library. With equipment, she will also cheat the equip cost, saving on mana and providing extra pressure sooner than other decks could. When used in tandem with shuffle effects and card draw, this can be a potent tool for finding key game-enders. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The reason this deck can build up just a single creature into a lethal threat comes from the extraordinarily high damage output granted by certain Auras and Equipment. When combined with the lesser power-boosting cards, they can turn an ordinary creature into a one-person wrecking crew.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Holy Avenger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Colossus Hammer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mantle of the Ancients"></div></div></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not only does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Holy Avenger" href="#" target="_blank">Holy Avenger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grant double strike, but when the equipped creature deals first strike damage, it brings along an Aura for extra damage potential. There is also a second damage trigger when regular damage connects, but that won’t increase the damage output right away. But doubling the creature’s damage while cheating mana and deploying more beatdown material is quite impressive.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For raw stat boosts, <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> is an extremely efficient card to cast from the top of the library with Galea in play. As long as the expensive equip cost can be subverted, it will bolster this deck’s creatures better than almost anything else in the format. In a similar vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Argentum Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Argentum Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will grant +6/+6 and a nice removal trigger on attacks, and while not one of the stronger equipment, will still do plenty of work for this precon. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rancor" href="#" target="_blank">Rancor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as always, will secretly put in work from the time it is cast until the game is over, providing key evasion and a solid power boost while never truly going away.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mantle of the Ancients" href="#" target="_blank">Mantle of the Ancients</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can often end an opponent’s game on the spot in the late game. When all of this precon’s problematic Auras and Equipment are dealt with, it brings them all back for one final killing blow; and when they aren’t answered, Galea will run away with the game. This card is a classic win-win.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This deck is very good at creating an extremely high damage output, but also surprisingly, for a precon, has very respectable means of protecting its threats once they are suited up.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swiftfoot Boots"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fleecemane Lion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Robe of Stars"></div></div></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Aura of Courage includes a nice selection of permanent “hexproof” effects, including the always-efficient <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Swiftfoot Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and its less powerful but still annoying cousin <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winged Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Winged Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There’s also <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shielding Plax" href="#" target="_blank">Shielding Plax</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which at least replaces itself, and the underwhelming but still useful <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eel Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Eel Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">As far as creatures with spot removal protection, the deck offers <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prognostic Sphinx" href="#" target="_blank">Prognostic Sphinx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is clunky, but won’t ever die to a 1-for-1 kill spell, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleecemane Lion" href="#" target="_blank">Fleecemane Lion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is a mediocre 2-drop that becomes virtually unstoppable once seven total mana is played. It will most likely work better when its Monstrous ability is activated right away and opponents are tapped out.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Robe of Stars" href="#" target="_blank">Robe of Stars</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is, without a doubt, the biggest overperformer in this precon. It’s the card the deck hopes to draw every game. Once a threat is created and has multiple augmentations on it, Robe of Stars turns off all interactions, even board wipes, and protects not only the equipped creature, but all Equipment and Auras attached to it, including itself.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the deck may be good at suiting up its creatures, it doesn’t actually have that many creatures worth enhancing. It desperately wants more creatures that have natural evasion or hexproof, and might have to spend a few awkward turns digging for a threat.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The second weakness of this deck comes from the natural side effects of playing a voltron deck in the first place, which involves placing all of one’s eggs into a single basket. When a deck puts all its energy and mana into sending in a single creature for one combat, a lot of things can potentially go wrong. This deck tries to do everything it can to avoid those scenarios, but they will still come up every once in a while.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly, Aura of Courage contains several cards that greatly overperform and others that consistently underperform, especially when playing at the precon level. The following handful of cards will play out impressively well each time they are drawn:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Netherese Puzzle-Ward"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Puresteel Paladin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Verdant Embrace"></div></div></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Netherese Puzzle-Ward" href="#" target="_blank">Netherese Puzzle-Ward</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants a ton of card selection, which works perfectly with Galea’s ability, and 25% of the time it offers “Scry 4 draw a card.” Over time, this grants more value than almost any other card in the deck, despite its lackluster appearance.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><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> cuts down heavily on mana spent to equip creatures, and keeps cards like <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> from sitting on the battlefield and doing nothing.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Verdant Embrace" href="#" target="_blank">Verdant Embrace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has an important card type for the deck, but also importantly creates more bodies that can be equipped or enchanted, so the deck doesn’t run out of threats quickly. One token every upkeep adds up quickly.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, two cards that typically underperform in the deck:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ride the Avalanche"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Viridian Longbow"></div></div></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ride the Avalanche" href="#" target="_blank">Ride the Avalanche</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only functions as the precursor to a much larger play, and in that case, the play itself is usually more effective. This is a card that tends to rot in its controller’s hand.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viridian Longbow" href="#" target="_blank">Viridian Longbow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a prohibitive equip cost, considering its mediocre effect. This equipment is only passable on a Saproling token that won’t enter combat.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Overall, Aura of Courage can take a firm hold of a commander game and hold its position long enough to eliminate players one at a time. There are a few cards that work against the overall strategy, but this deck is a well-oiled damage machine, and playing to its strengths while keeping its weaknesses in mind will lead to even more commander victories.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


How to play the Aura of Courage Precon in EDH

<h1>MTG Card Manager Update</h1>
<p>Hi friends! We're just letting you know that Dragon Shield has an exciting announcement: their MTG Card Manager phone app has new features that integrate with EDHREC's data, including updated to their Augmented Reality scanners. Enjoy!</p>
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