Aetherdrift: Start Me Up! Part 2

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse" href="#" target="_blank">An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.dallasillustration.com/">Dallas Williams</a>)</h6>
<h1>Blue Players, We Need To Talk</h1>
<p>Welcome back to Commander <em>Unoptimizied</em>. When it comes to the color pie, most folks curse the name of blue players the most.</p>
<p>Black is “disappearing” any perceived threat like some sort of mafioso while green is crashing the mana economy harder than Wall Street.</p>
<p>White is banishing your cards to the shadow realm as red rolls a die to decide whether you get to see turn three or not.</p>
<p>But blue players hold a special place in the hearts of the<em> Magic</em> community. A place of darkness and hatred.</p>
<p>Which is a shame, since blue has some fantastic cards, synergies, and strategies that get ignored. And I say this as a green player, so that’s how you know it’s bad. Please note, this article isn't about how playing blue makes you a bad person, but merely a social look at how most blue players are supposed to play versus other ways they can play.</p>
<h2>Why The Blue Hate?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Counterspell"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mana Drain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Force of Will"></div></div><br />
<em>It’s really quite simple.</em></p>
<h3>Counters, Man</h3>
<p>It isn’t as if the vitriol towards counters is unwarranted. Whether they’re blocking your commander from being cast or preventing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from starting your engine, a well-timed counter ruins your game.</p>
<p>Or, at least, that’s what most players feel. The accuracy of this is to be determined, given how reactive counters are. Afterall, you’re not going to “win” many games but only countering cards.</p>
<p>But you sure can stop others from winning!</p>
<p>In any case, counters’ whole function in the game is to prevent other players from enacting their plans. And in casual Commander, that often means stopping everyone’s “cool thing.”</p>
<p>So instead of continuing the momentum of the game or ticking down the clock, all most counters accomplish is stalling.</p>
<p>To utilize counters effectively, blue players are unable to utilize them in a fun way. The entire table will thank the blue player for countering <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or laugh when you shut down a last-ditch <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>But there’s no reason to, at least when you know your opponent has a Bracket 3 deck and is sitting on their Game Changers.</p>
<p>Mechanically, you’re incentivized to only counter your opponents’ best cards. Which just so happen to be the cards most people sit down at the table hoping to play the most.</p>
<h2>How To Fix It</h2>
<p>The simple answer is to remove counters from a deck. Blue has tons of options outside of countering, from card draw to returning permanents to their owner’s hand to scrying.</p>
<p>Not to mention its synergies with other colors, from Dimir Ninjutsu to Izzet elemental spam.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satoru Umezawa"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satoru, the Infiltrator"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eris, Roar of the Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zaffai, Thunder Conductor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elemental Masterpiece"></div></div><br />
<em>Blue has tons of options even ignoring “annoying” ones like mill.</em></p>
<p>That being said, any color can “not” counter spells. So while the immediate answer to counters being too hostile towards casual gaming is to just not use them, that just removes a part of blue’s identity. As frustrating as counters can be, that doesn’t mean they don’t have a place at the table.</p>
<p>Thus, it’s a matter of countering responsibly.</p>
<h2>What To Counter</h2>
<p>There are many targets to counter, but some feel more insulting to the one getting countered than others.</p>
<p>Or, in another sense, certain cards are less likely to frustrate your friends when they get shut down than others.</p>
<h3>“I Win” Cards</h3>
<p>Game-winning conditions such as <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> generally are fair game to counter.</p>
<p>Who would blame you? Afterall, most players sit down to win a game of Commander, so preventing yourself from losing might get a groan but ultimately cause no harm.</p>
<p>And fun fact, Approach of the Second Sun being countered on its first casting doesn’t preclude the second casting from winning the game.</p>
<p>Further, you only win the game when Approach of the Second Sun’s second casting is resolved. So if you’re going to counter it, counter that second casting.</p>
<p>Unless you’re trying to exile it with something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Negation" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Negation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which might just end your friendship.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blue Elemental Blast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Red Elemental Blast"></div></div>
<p><em>Certain things just have a certain way about them...</em></p>
<h2>Other Counters</h2>
<p>One of the funniest things you can do is to counter a counter. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Negation" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Negation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> their <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And then they might well counter you back!</p>
<p>This is the sort of interaction that can be incredibly tense, awesome, or hilarious depending on how your group treats your games.</p>
<p>And so most of the time, folks will be so wrapped up in the moment that there’s no complaints about all the countering going on.</p>
<p>And you can always jump into the countering of other players’ interactions, adding to the chaos or drama however you see fit.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pyroblast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hydroblast"></div></div>
<p><em>...of coming together in pairs.</em></p>
<h2>Engine Pieces</h2>
<p>This is where things get nebulous.</p>
<p>If you know a few infinite combos, countering <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Unlife" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Unlife</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could act as preventative measures for future game-enders. Afterall, you know what the opponent has in-store, so why let them get it out?</p>
<p>But that’s also looping back to the core issue with countering.</p>
<p>Just because someone plays <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drivnod, Carnage Dominus" href="#" target="_blank">Drivnod, Carnage Dominus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn’t mean they’re going to chain that into an infinite combo.</p>
<p>They might, and that’s certainly something to watch out for. But plenty of players just want to burn you the old fashioned way without a tutor or exploit.</p>
<p>So while it’s certainly competitively advisable to counter <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and put an end to his <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, there’s nothing to say that’s what the player was doing. They could have just wanted burn and card draw with cool dragon art.</p>
<p>It’s oftentimes best to wait to counter a player’s final combo piece, rather than the tutor setting it up in the first place.</p>
<p>Not from competitive perspective, but from the perspective of having fun. Let your friends or pod members play their decks, even if you stop them from winning.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Niv-Mizzet, Parun"></div></div><br />
<em>Lucky for you, if they play THIS card you can save the counter for the combo piece.</em></p>
<h2>When To Counter</h2>
<p>It’s not as if everything else is off-limits from countering. Anything feasible can be countered, even without coming off as a stereotypical Blue player trying to ruin the pod’s fun. But oftentimes, this determination is subjective.</p>
<h3>You’re About To Lose</h3>
<p>Countering cards that are going to cause you to lose the game is valid, even if they aren’t explicitly “play this and win” cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hidetsugu&#039;s Second Rite" href="#" target="_blank">Hidetsugu&#039;s Second Rite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> when you’re at ten life.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triskaidekaphobia" href="#" target="_blank">Triskaidekaphobia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you’re around thirteen. Even something like <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> will often fall into this.</p>
<p>If you’re in a position where you’re going to lose the game and someone plays something to capitalize off of that, counter it! If they get upset, they’re getting upset over you playing the game. So no need to worry.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shock"></div></div>
<p><em>Countering a Shock can be worth it if you’re at one life.</em></p>
<h3>There’s No Other Way</h3>
<p>There are also times when you simply don’t have another answer to a card. Or you just don’t want to deal with them, for whatever reason.</p>
<p>Certainly, you could <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cut Down" href="#" target="_blank">Cut Down</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you’re multicolored.</p>
<p>But monoblue doesn’t have much permanent removal outside of counters and stuns. While it might be frustrating to have your cool creature countered, it’s just as frustrating to have it neutered with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pacifism" href="#" target="_blank">Pacifism</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or exiled with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Borrowed Time" href="#" target="_blank">Borrowed Time</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Sometimes, removal is the only response to a threat you can wield effectively.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unstoppable Slasher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bruvac the Grandiloquent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, the Apocalypse"></div></div>
<h3>Negative Leverage</h3>
<p>The most interesting use-case of counters is as a negotiation tactic. So long as you’re comfortable running an extortion racket on your friends, that is.</p>
<p>As mentioned in my <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/commander-unoptimized-group-hugs">previous article</a> discussing Group Hugs, negotiations involve leverage. I primarily discussed positive leverage—giving something good as your part of the bargain.</p>
<p>Here, however, is a prime example of negative leverage—promising to NOT doing something bad.</p>
<p>The ability to say “I WON’T counterspell your Commander if you…” is a powerful tool. And depending on how focused on mechanics your group is, potentially the MOST powerful tool you have available.</p>
<p>Based on your pod’s culture, negotiation might be more important than statlines. Or, your word could mean nothing.</p>
<p>Moreso than even the subjectivity of how much of a threat certain spells are, the political weight of a counter is something to establish with your pod before the game begins.</p>
<h2>The Bottom Line</h2>
<p>Countering isn’t a bad mechanic nor are blue players bad people for using it. It’s frustrating when your Commander can’t hit the battlefield. Shutting down an integral part of your engine feels like a smack in the face.</p>
<p>But at the end of the day, that’s what playing Commander is for. To see these challenges, struggle through them, and work with the other players to overcome them.</p>
<p>If they counter your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm of Saruman" href="#" target="_blank">Storm of Saruman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that means someone else could play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh" href="#" target="_blank">Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Just because <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> got countered doesn’t mean <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> will.</p>
<p>Though if you feel your resident blue player is targeting you, just talk to them. Ask them, out of game, if they realize how much they’re impacting the fun you’re having. Because that’s what everyone at the table wants, to have fun.</p>
<p>As heartless as Blue players might seem, they'll tone it down if you ask.</p>


Countering Etiquette - Blue Players, We Need To Talk

Bracket For Your Buck - Multiple Brackets, Low Budget

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Victor, Valgavoth&#039;s Seneschal" href="#" target="_blank">Victor, Valgavoth&#039;s Seneschal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://www.jeremywilsonart.com/">Jeremy Wilson</a></h6>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Bottom of the Barrel</em>! This is a series where we pick a theme from EDHREC and look at the “bottom of the barrel.” This means that we look at the least played color-combinations and pick a commander in those colors to brew a spicy new deck around!</p>
<p>Today's edition focuses on a mechanic that allows an overlooked new commander to shine: sagas. According to EDHREC, the most popular color combination for decks themed around sagas is Abzan (white, black, and green). Thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narci, Fable Singer" href="#" target="_blank">Narci, Fable Singer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> coming out with <em>Commander Masters</em>, this stat isn't surprising.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Narci, Fable Singer"></div></div>
<p>We always look at the "bottom of the barrel" with this series, but I bent the rules a little with this one. The lowest played color for the saga theme is mono-red, with 3 decks listed in the database.</p>
<p>Aside from Abzan and Naya (red, green, and white), most other colors aren't very popular for sagas. Most other color identities are under 100 decks, so it allowed a lot of space for experimentation.</p>
<p>With this in mind, I figured we could highlight an underplayed <em>Duskmourn</em> commander: Victor, Valgavoth's Seneschal. Orzhov (black and white) is at 59 decks in the database, and Victor only has 1 deck themed around sagas on the website, so this seems like the perfect choice!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Victor, Valgavoth&#039;s Seneschal"></div></div>
<h2>Category #1A: Messing With Lore Counters</h2>
<p>Sagas are an interesting card type because they only stick around for a little while before they are either transformed or sacrificed. With this in mind, it's important to note that we can manipulate their lore counters in order to keep them around for longer. This allows us to control when something is transformed or sacrificed, and that can help us to plan ahead for a massive turn.</p>
<p>Cards that shine in this category are: Ferropede to guarantee we can reset 1 chapter of a saga we control each combat; Power Conduit to pump up a creature we control while letting us reset a chapter; Hex Parasite to let us reset chapters on our sagas multiple times per turn by just paying mana; Scholar of New Horizons to let us remove a counter to search for a land; and Thrull Parasite to act as a one-time activation that can remove a counter from <em>any permanent.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ferropede"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Power Conduit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hex Parasite"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scholar of New Horizons"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thrull Parasite"></div></div>
<p>There aren't a lot of cards that let us mess with our sagas like this, but that's why these 5 cards are critical to our gameplan!</p>
<h2>Category #1B: Messing With Lore Counters (Differently)</h2>
<p>Our next batch of cards to talk about allows us to mess with lore counters, but in a completely different way. If a saga leaves the battlefield and then returns, it restarts at chapter 1. The first card that came to mind when thinking about this idea is Flicker, but since it's a sorcery, we can't respond to a saga reaching its final chapter.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flicker"></div></div>
<p>The cards I have chosen for category 1B are cards that let us operate at instant speed (for the most part) when trying to reset our sagas: Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd is only card where the effect is not at instant speed, but its attack trigger is a repeatable way to reset our sagas; Meticulous Excavation comes down early and lets us return sagas to our hand before they have to be sacrificed; Cosmic Intervention can bring back any sagas that get sacrificed during a turn (as well as creatures that die during the same turn); Scrollshift is a single-use flicker effect that also draws us a card; and Aerial Extortionist is not only an amazing piece of removal, but we can also exile our own permanents to cast again later, and trigger its "draw a card" ability while we're at it!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meticulous Excavation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cosmic Intervention"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scrollshift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aerial Extortionist"></div></div>
<h2>Category #2: Token Creation</h2>
<p>Sagas are great and all, but we need a way to win the game eventually. This brings us to a common theme in the sagas and other enchantments chosen for this deck: creating tokens. This category made me realize that I could easily swap Victor out for Daxos the Returned instead, but I felt like Victor still deserved the love.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daxos the Returned"></div></div>
<p>Let's start with some sagas that create tokens: Firja's Retribution, Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit, Oath of the Grey Host, Genesis of the Daleks, Love Song of Night and Day, Vault 11: Voter's Dilemma, and Three Blind Mice are all token creating sagas each with their own upsides the longer they last in play.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Firja&#039;s Retribution"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oath of the Grey Host"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Genesis of the Daleks"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Love Song of Night and Day"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vault 11: Voter&#039;s Dilemma"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Three Blind Mice"></div></div>
<p>These are all terrific cards in our deck, as we can flicker the sagas or mess with the lore counters to create more and more tokens. Outside of these, we have the standard "enchantment token creators" that are seen in most enchantment decks.</p>
<p>Archon of Sun's Grace creates Pegasus creatures with flying and lifelink (you'd be surprised how relevant that is!); Monastery Mentor gives us Monk tokens with prowess for each noncreature spell we cast; Ghostly Dancers recurs an enchantment from our graveyard and gives us 3/1 flyers when enchantments enter the battlefield; Hallowed Haunting can give us spirits that continue to grow over the course of the game; Daxos the Returned gives us spirits that get bigger over time; and Historian's Boon is an absolute <em>house</em> in this deck, as it gives us tokens when sagas enter AND when their final chapters trigger.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archon of Sun&#039;s Grace"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monastery Mentor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghostly Dancers"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hallowed Haunting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daxos the Returned"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Historian&#039;s Boon"></div></div>
<h2>Category #3: Recursion</h2>
<p>Considering most sagas sacrifice themselves after their last chapter, recursion is critical to ensuring our deck operates effectively. Two of our best recursion pieces can act as alternate commanders as well, but that will ultimately be your decision in the end.</p>
<p>The best pieces of recursion in this deck are: Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher, who lets us benefit from <em>anyone</em> <em>sacrificing anything</em> and can return sagas directly to play; Neva, Stalked by Nightmares, who lets us return an enchantment to our hand while providing advantage when any of our enchantments leave play; and Norika Yamazaki, the Poet, who lets us cast an artifact or enchantment from our graveyard when a warrior or samurai attacks alone (she's a samurai).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Neva, Stalked by Nightmares"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Norika Yamazaki, the Poet"></div></div>
<p>Argivian Find is also a sweet piece of recursion for only a single mana at instant speed!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Argivian Find"></div></div>
<h2>Category #4A: The First "Secret Spice" Ingredients</h2>
<p>Today's deck has two separate sub-categories of "Secret Spice", but it's because they are both separate ways to win the game.</p>
<p>Our first "secret spice" ingredients are the Phyrexian Praetors from March of the Machine: Sheoldred, and Elesh Norn.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elesh Norn"></div></div>
<p>Both of these creatures can transform into sagas, and with all of our counter manipulation, we can make extra usage of each chapter. Sheoldred's final chapter is a "rise of the dark realms" style effect, and Elesh Norn's final chapter turns our board into a lethal threat.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rise of the Dark Realms"></div></div>
<h2>Category #4B: The Second "Secret Spice" Ingredients</h2>
<p>Our second "secret spice" ingredients are 2 cards that work excellently in this strategy, but can form an infinite combo if played together: Ondu Spiritdancer and Secret Arcade / Dusty Parlor.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ondu Spiritdancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Secret Arcade // Dusty Parlor"></div></div>
<p>In order for this combo to work, when need to have the Secret Arcade in play <em>before</em> we cast Ondu Spiritdancer. When Ondu Spiritdancer enters the battlefield, it will see itself as an enchantment, and create a token copy of itself. This generates an infinite loop where we create an infinite number of Ondu Spiritdancer copies. Funnily enough, this exact combo was in the Aminatou, Veil Piercer precon!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aminatou, Veil Piercer"></div></div>
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">This brings us to the end of our sixth edition of <em>Bottom of the Barrel</em>! I hope you enjoyed exploring a lesser-played color-combination in the world of sagas! As I mentioned before, this deck can just as easily operate with Neva, Stalked by Nightmares, Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher, or Daxos the Returned at the helm, so feel free to experiment!</p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">If you have any thoughts or ideas about this decklist, let me know in the comments below! (I do read them all and greatly appreciate your support!)</p>
<p>Check out my decklist below!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Bottom of the Barrel - Victor, Valgavoth&#039;s Seneschal" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Victor, Valgavoth&#039;s Seneschal
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 Black Market Connections
*1 Death in Heaven
*1 Elspeth Conquers Death
*1 Fall of the First Civilization
*1 Firja&#039;s Retribution
*1 Genesis of the Daleks
*1 Ghostly Prison
*1 Glasswing Grace // Age-Graced Chapel
*1 Hallowed Haunting
*1 Historian&#039;s Boon
*1 Love Song of Night and Day
*1 Meticulous Excavation
*1 Michiko&#039;s Reign of Truth // Portrait of Michiko
*1 Oath of the Grey Host
*1 Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit
*1 Secret Arcade // Dusty Parlor
*1 Starfield of Nyx
*1 Tenuous Truce
*1 The Birth of Meletis
*1 The Cruelty of Gix
*1 The Eldest Reborn
*1 The Fall of Lord Konda // Fragment of Konda
*1 The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration
*1 Three Blind Mice
*1 Trial of a Time Lord
*1 Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death&#039;s Wail
*1 Vault 11: Voter&#039;s Dilemma
*1 Vault 13: Dweller&#039;s Journey
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Aerial Extortionist
*1 Archon of Sun&#039;s Grace
*1 Ashiok&#039;s Reaper
*1 Auramancer
*1 Barbara Wright
*1 Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher
*1 Daxos the Returned
*1 Elesh Norn // The Argent Etchings
*1 Ferropede
*1 Ghostly Dancers
*1 Hex Parasite
*1 Ian Chesterton
*1 Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff
*1 Mesa Enchantress
*1 Monastery Mentor
*1 Neva, Stalked by Nightmares
*1 Norika Yamazaki, the Poet
*1 Ondu Spiritdancer
*1 Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd
*1 Scholar of New Horizons
*1 Sheoldred // The True Scriptures
*1 Starfield Mystic
*1 Starnheim Courser
*1 Thrull Parasite
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Mirage Mirror
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Power Conduit
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Argivian Find
*1 Cosmic Intervention
*1 Inkshield
*1 Scrollshift
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Redress Fate
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Isolated Chapel
*10 Plains
*1 Restless Fortress
*1 Shadowy Backstreet
*1 Shattered Sanctum
*1 Silent Clearing
*8 Swamp
*1 Temple of Silence
*1 Valgavoth&#039;s Lair
*1 Vault of Champions
*1 Vault of the Archangel
[/Lands]"></span></div>


Bottom of the Barrel - Victor, Valgavoth's Seneschal

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lara Croft, Tomb Raider" href="#" target="_blank">Lara Croft, Tomb Raider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.gregstaples.com/">Greg Staples</a></h6>
<h1>The Beginning of the Journey</h1>
<p>Hi, I’m Owain, and I’m here with the first article of what I’ll call <em>Beyond the Multiverse</em>. The missive is simple: To make decks using only cards printed (and reprinted) into Universes Beyond (henceforth known as UB). But, first, a bit about me.</p>
<p>I’m one of those fabled MTG Boomers that people tend to hear about. <em>Magic</em> first came into my life around <em>Invasion</em> block. I’ve been fairly on and off until 2011, when the first Commander precons came out, and I’ve been playing since.</p>
<p>As for my decision to fully embrace UB cards? I was once just like most when <em>The Walking Dead</em> lair came out: In complete opposition. It’s been several years since then, and my opinions on UB have gradually shifted.</p>
<p>My journey to get to the point of embracing the product line was long. I never thought I'd get to where I am now.</p>
<p>However, if you go and assemble UB-only decks, but still appreciate all the in-universe stuff has to offer, have a balance of both. Going all-in on UB made going back through in-universe cards quite a jarring experience.</p>
<p>With that piece of advice out of the way, let’s jump right into the next section without further delay.</p>
<h1>Our Commander</h1>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lara Croft, Tomb Raider"></div></div><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p>Lara Croft is the main protagonist of the <em>Tomb Raider</em> franchise. She goes to find legendary and dangerous artifacts while thwarting those who seek them for villainous purposes. However, this particular version is based on the 2013 <em>Tomb Raider</em> game (and its sequels), known as the Survivor Timeline. Now we have the basic lore on our commander, but what about the card?</p>
<p>Looking at it tells us what we need to do: Get legendary artifacts and legendary lands into the graveyard, then play them after attacking. That Treasure token you get from the raid trigger will come in handy for this.</p>
<p>However, it’s worth noting that Lara can pull from <em>any</em> graveyard, and not just your own. So, whether you want to mill everyone or see something that your opponents played, she will see those, too. That said, though, you’ll be looking through your own stuff.</p>
<p>The worst case scenario is that you simply get a treasure token, and that’s not a bad thing. Even then, we're going to need to navigate what choices will be part of our 99.</p>
<h1>Raiding the Tombs</h1>
<p>There’s two ways you could build Lara: Load up with Equipment and bonk someone for 21 damage, or just accrue value. However, we’re using only UB cards here, so our pickings are slimmer. Chances are that you’ll end up doing a mix of the two because of this.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Excalibur, Sword of Eden"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="RMS Titanic"></div></div>
<p>Firstly, we have equipment like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Excalibur, Sword of Eden" href="#" target="_blank">Excalibur, Sword of Eden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (42,928 decks) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shadowspear" href="#" target="_blank">Shadowspear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (reskinned as Totec’s Spear; 17,9724 decks) that make Lara big enough to win.</p>
<p>Additionally, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bessie, the Doctor’s Roadster" href="#" target="_blank">Bessie, the Doctor’s Roadster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4,638 decks), which allows her to get through unblocked.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Spear of Leonidas" href="#" target="_blank">The Spear of Leonidas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (15,368 decks) is a nice Swiss-Army knife in this deck: You could give double strike, get a legendary blocker, or it can do am impression of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faithless Looting" href="#" target="_blank">Faithless Looting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which you can use to fill your graveyard with targets for Lara’s attack trigger.</p>
<p>Moreover, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overpowering Attack" href="#" target="_blank">Overpowering Attack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (29,233 decks) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seize the Day" href="#" target="_blank">Seize the Day</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (reskinned as Round Two; 59,481 decks) let us get extra combat steps, getting more cards to cast, and even taking opponents out of the game.</p>
<p>On the other hand, we have stuff that helps accrue value over time. Both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Fourth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Fourth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass" href="#" target="_blank">Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (7,545 and 23,151 decks respectively) allow us to cast historic cards from the top of our library.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="RMS Titanic" href="#" target="_blank">RMS Titanic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (9,918 decks) can be looped with Lara to gain a boatload of Treasures while also hitting like a truck. Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="ED-E, Lonesome Eyebot" href="#" target="_blank">ED-E, Lonesome Eyebot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can do something similar, but can draw us cards over time.</p>
<p>Just take care how you attack the longer it sticks around, so you can get more quest counters. Consequently, there's a central theme that works with both of the above themes.</p>
<h1>Of Tomb Exploring and History</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Surtr, Fiery Jötun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heroes&#039; Podium"></div></div>
<p>Because a lot of the deck contains Historic cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surtr, Fiery Jötun" href="#" target="_blank">Surtr, Fiery Jötun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be slinging <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s left, right, and center. I’m surprised the card doesn’t see more play than the 233 decks it’s in.</p>
<p>Every time I’ve cast the card, it’s been a major threat on the board. Do not sleep on Surtr if you’re running a lot of Historic cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroes’ Podium" href="#" target="_blank">Heroes’ Podium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (38,037 decks) is a wincon with all the legendary creatures in the deck, but can also dig for a new creature to cast, too. In short, you might say the average Lara Croft deck is a Historic deck at its heart.</p>
<p>In either of the above paths you take, you’ll need ways to ditch legendary artifacts and lands so Lara can mark them.</p>
<p>Firstly, we have a range of ways to achieve this, from popular options like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cathartic Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Cathartic Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to obscure ones like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nyssa of Traken" href="#" target="_blank">Nyssa of Traken</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4,583 decks), who will get you cards and tap down blockers while you attack.</p>
<p>In addition, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wreck and Rebuild" href="#" target="_blank">Wreck and Rebuild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (7,779 decks) gives us a choice at either removing a troublesome artifact or enchantment or can mill five of our cards, ramping us and having targets for Lara set up. Importantly, it has Flashback, so you can use the card twice.</p>
<p>Importantly, it's natural for UB-Only decks to have a Historic theme to some extent because UB sets tend to be filled to the brim with legendary creatures, artifacts, or otherwise. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Delighted Halfling" href="#" target="_blank">Delighted Halfling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (254,292 decks) shine in decks that capitalize on this because you’ll often tap to make a mana that’ll make your next legendary creature uncounterable. The Historic cards will be tough to ignore, and I wouldn’t even try doing so. It’s basically an overarching theme.</p>
<h1>The Treasure at the End</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Project Beyond-Venturing Forth" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Lara Croft, Tomb Raider
[/Commander]
[Lands]
*1 Abstergo Entertainment
*1 Academy Ruins
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dreamroot Cascade
*1 Exotic Orchard
*6 Forest
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Game Trail
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*1 Inventors&#039; Fair
*6 Island
*6 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Rockfall Vale
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Trenzalore Clocktower
*1 Vineglimmer Snarl
[/Lands]
[Artifacts]
*1 Ace&#039;s Baseball Bat
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Bessie, the Doctor&#039;s Roadster
*1 Bow of Nylea
*1 Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass
*1 Excalibur, Sword of Eden
*1 Five Hundred Year Diary
*1 Heroes&#039; Podium
*1 Mithril Coat
*1 Mjölnir, Storm Hammer
*1 RMS Titanic
*1 Shadowspear
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Staff of Eden, Vault&#039;s Key
*1 The Animus
*1 The Spear of Leonidas
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Adric, Mathematical Genius
*1 Arwen, Weaver of Hope
*1 Assassin Den
*1 Curie, Emergent Intelligence
*1 Delighted Halfling
*1 Displaced Dinosaurs
*1 ED-E, Lonesome Eyebot
*1 Evie Frye
*1 Gimli of the Glittering Caves
*1 Ian the Reckless
*1 Iron Man, Titan of Innovation
*1 Jamie McCrimmon
*1 K-9, Mark I
*1 Karvanista, Loyal Lupari // Lupari Shield
*1 Legolas Greenleaf
*1 Nardole, Resourceful Cyborg
*1 Nyssa of Traken
*1 Old One Eye
*1 Osgood, Operation Double
*1 Strax, Sontaran Nurse
*1 Surtr, Fiery Jötun
*1 The Fourth Doctor
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Anger of the Gods
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Cathartic Reunion
*1 Cultivate
*1 Deep Analysis
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Hull Breach
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Overpowering Attack
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Seize the Day
*1 Traverse Eternity
*1 Wreck and Rebuild
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Bombadil&#039;s Song
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Counterflux
*1 Cyber Conversion
*1 Desynchronization
*1 Entish Restoration
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Legolas&#039;s Quick Reflexes
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>
<h1>Studying the Spoils</h1>
<p>Certainly, there’s a number of Historic cards that work well here. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Traverse Eternity" href="#" target="_blank">Traverse Eternity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (8,501 decks) draws lots of cards, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Desynchronization" href="#" target="_blank">Desynchronization</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (26,035 decks) is oftentimes a <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> that doesn’t bounce your opponents’ commanders, but our board state remain largely untouched.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Traverse Eternity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Desynchronization"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cyclonic Rift"></div></div>
<p>I threw in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Staff of Eden, Vault’s Key" href="#" target="_blank">Staff of Eden, Vault’s Key</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (7,428 decks) for the likelihood that we actually get something out of our opponents’ graveyards, but your chances at getting something are going to be low. That said, when it goes off, it's going to draw cards. Hopefully, there'll be similar effects within the UB card pool in the long run.</p>
<p>In addition, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adric, Mathematical Genius" href="#" target="_blank">Adric, Mathematical Genius</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (9,009 decks) can copy triggers (including Lara’s) and, in a pinch, make the ultimate sacrifice to counter an ability that would cause a problem.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gimli of the Glittering Caves" href="#" target="_blank">Gimli of the Glittering Caves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (300 decks) hits hard with double strike and enough pumps, but also net us Treasures in the process.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Legolas Greenleaf" href="#" target="_blank">Legolas Greenleaf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (coming in at an unsurprising 39 decks) is similar: Reach instead of double strike, same pump ability, but instead of Treasure, he gives us a card. Not to mention he has evasion, which is unfortunately situational. See if you can get both of them out on the battlefield at once for a flavor win.</p>
<p>Moreover, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jamie McCrimmon" href="#" target="_blank">Jamie McCrimmon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (3,145 decks), with enough historic spells, can become a game-ending threat. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iron Man, Titan of Innovation" href="#" target="_blank">Iron Man, Titan of Innovation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does an identical Lara impression because of his attack trigger, which allows us to pod away an artifact for a new one.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gimli of the Glittering Caves"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Legolas Greenleaf"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jamie McCrimmon"></div></div>
<p>You could stack the trigger to resolve his ability first, sending a legendary artifact into your graveyard. After that, exile it with a discovery counter with Lara’s trigger, so then you can cast it later.</p>
<h1>The Journey Home</h1>
<p>In conclusion, the usage of UB cards alone is a deckbuilding restriction that I hear seldom about. There's many staples reprinted (or reskinned, in some cases) with the UB border, and there's new cards that are worth taking a look, even the overshadowed ones.</p>
<p>Don't be afraid to mix and match IPs. As wacky and ridiculous it sounds, I find it lets my imagination wonder.</p>
<p>Firstly, what would Lara do if she found <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? How would <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iron Man, Titan of Innovation" href="#" target="_blank">Iron Man, Titan of Innovation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> interact with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Fourth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Fourth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? In short, it's little "what ifs" like these that can form a story of their own. However, that's using only UB printings and cards came naturally, even for me.</p>
<p>Using only UB cards required some nurturing on my part, and I'm sure it'll be the same with you. I was having each IP be their own deck before I warmed up to the idea of mixing them.</p>
<p>Even now, UB is a very polarizing subject, and that will not change for the foreseeable future. I’ve heard stories of people giving others bad experiences simply because they chose to run UB cards, basically gatekeeping. I won’t drag this out, but let’s be respectful of their choices and not ruin their fun.</p>
<p>That being said, I always look forward to see what fun and unique designs come out of UB sets. Consequently, it’s always exciting when new cards come out, so we can have more options for our decks. In addition, we learn more about the characters, places, and events behind the cards, and that's half the fun.</p>
<p>Let me know in the comments what you think of the commander and the deck. You may certainly find a card that you can use in your decks.</p>
<p>Until next time, go above and beyond your games.</p>


Beyond the Multiverse: Building a Lara Croft Deck with Universes Beyond Cards

Under the Radar - Drana, Liberator of Malakir

Top 10 Game Changers

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Max Speed" href="#" target="_blank">Max Speed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> token | art by <a href="https://linktr.ee/josiahcameron">Josiah "Jo" Cameron</a></h6>
<p>Starting off 2025 with more than a couple bangs, Wizards of the Coast is releasing one of their most ambitious sets yet. <em>Aetherdrft</em>, set code DFT, continues <em>Magic's</em> trend of dressing everyone up in the same goofy clothes and hats all bought from the same store.</p>
<p>But this time the setting truly matches the outfits as the goggles and suits are all needed for the multiplanar death race known as the Avishkar Grand Prix!</p>
<p>This death race (its only a death race if you die) sees us travel across Avishkar (Formerly Kaladesh) Amonkhet and Muraganda, a first for a set not about a war.</p>
<p>Racing across these planes are ten teams, each representing the 2-color pairs we all know and love.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wind-Scarred Crag"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swiftwater Cliffs"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rugged Highlands"></div></div>
<p>Now, because we're going through soo many locals as well as a Ravnica-sized set worth of factions, we're going to be introduced to more than a couple mechanics this time around.</p>
<p>So lets strap in and take a look at all of the special abilities we'll be seeing.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vnwxt, Verbose Host"></div></div>
<h2>START YOUR ENGINES!!!!</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Starting Column"></div></div>
<p>No good race has ever involved drives going anything less than Max speed! Which means we need to start our collective engines if we want to win this race.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Samut, the Driving Force|DFT|367"></div></div>
<p>Start your engines! is similar to the day-night mechanic from Innistrad, but don't worry, it won't involve every player needing to keep track of something soo tedious.</p>
<p>So to start (your engines) you play a card with Start your engines! and you pull out a reminder card to help you keep track of your speed.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Start Your Engines!"></div></div>
<p>You start at speed 1 no matter what and you increase in speed when an opponent loses life on your turn. Increasing your speed only happens once on your turn with a Maximum speed of 4.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Far Fortune, End Boss"></div></div>
<p>So lets analyze this. We automatically start at speed 1 as soon as a Start your engines! card enters (the battlefield).</p>
<p>We have a maximum speed of four and we can only increase our speed once a turn no matter how much damage we do.</p>
<p>The ability cannot be responded to, so once that card lands it's looking for the next time your foes change their life totals.</p>
<p>With that in mind, we can see the fastest we can reach max speed (more on that latter) is in three turns if we cause life lose the turn we start counting.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Impact Tremors"></div></div>
<h2>"I SAID START"</h2>
<p>We can cause life loss any number of ways, most often through combat damage cards with evasion or trample will almost always guarantee a speed boost.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Access Tunnel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hazoret, Godseeker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bestow Greatness"></div></div>
<p>Cards with triggered abilities on attack work just as well, but will still only increase your speed once regardless if the attack connects or not.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sanguine Syphoner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="General Kreat, the Boltbringer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Far Fortune, End Boss"></div></div>
<p>Cards that punish your opponents for taking actions on your turn work twice as well now. Pay a ward coast or take my combat damage, the boost god cares not!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Razorkin Needlehead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harsh Mentor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hearthborn Battler"></div></div>
<p>The fact that Start your engines! is not a respond-able ability means that your opps who were leaving their fetchland cracking for your turn will net you a free speed.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Muraganda Raceway"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Avishkar Raceway"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Amonkhet Raceway"></div></div>
<p>There has yet to be a card that effects your speed, so nothing short of "set your speed to 0" will stop your climb to Max speed. Speaking of...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zahur, Glory&#039;s Past"></div></div>
<p>It would be wild if this guy won huh?</p>
<h2>Max speed</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Racers&#039; Scoreboard"></div></div>
<p>Max speed gives you some pay off for breaking the Speedforce! Max speed abilities are active only if you are at speed 4 and nothing before.</p>
<p>This is not a triggered nor activated ability unless it's tied to one. You get to speed 4 and boom, you just get access to these abilities, much like Ascend from the original Ixalan.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Radiant Destiny"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gastal Raider"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arch of Orazca"></div></div>
<p>Max speed abilities come in a couple different sizes from activated abilities or passive ones that are usually attached to a card that gives some sort of value up front, and then much better value later on.</p>
<p>While some cards are also just only good if you have the speed to unlock them, leaving you as a player with a ton of options to weigh if having to wait no less than three turns is worth it for these abilities.</p>
<p>The best part, however, is that you will always be at speed 4 once you reach it, even if there is no Max speed or Start your engines! card on the field, so you can stop counting once you reach it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mendicant Core, Guidelight"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Burnout Bashtronaut"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Perilous Snare"></div></div>
<p>Exhaust</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Redshift, Rocketeer Chief"></div></div>
<p>"I AM SPEED" - this guy, probably</p>
<h2>Exhaust</h2>
<p>You see that red button? Don't press it, NEVER PRESS THE RED BUTT- oh, jeez, ok, well... now we're <em>exhausted</em>!</p>
<p>Much like in the movies, once you hit that red button, your car/space ship actives its booster engines and moves soo fast that things break off.</p>
<p>Things change and can never go back to normal... until you get a new car of course! This is the vibe for the new Exhaust mechanic from <em>Aetherdrift</em>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rocketeer Boostbuggy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rangers&#039; Aetherhive"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skyserpent Seeker"></div></div>
<p>You activate an Exhaust ability just like any other activated ability in the game. You pay the cost, put the ability on the stack or whatever, resolve it and boom you're done.</p>
<p>Like <strong>Done Done</strong>; because now you can never use that ability again for the rest of the game with that card. Exhaust activates once and as long as that card stays on the battlefield, you won't get access to it ever again.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elvish Refueler"></div></div>
<p>Unless?</p>
<p>This mechanic reminds me a lot of exert, a returning sub mechanic from <em>Amonkhet</em> where you basically keep a creature tapped for an additional turn in trade for a powerful ability. The only difference is that this lasts the whole game, not just the turn.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Basri, Tomorrow&#039;s Champion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Draconautics Engineer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boommobile"></div></div>
<p>The best way fans have stated as a way to get around this is to more or less flicker, bounce or in some way get the exhausted card off of the field for a second and then back into play.</p>
<p>Once you do that, since the card is now a new object, aka its not technically the same card that was once there, you are free to use its Exhaust ability again!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Displacer Kitten"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ephemerate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Into the Flood Maw"></div></div>
<p>Typical <em>Magic</em> players, the moment they try to give us just one limitation on a card everyone just wants to break through it.</p>
<p>Yet that is just the name of the game, and honestly I'm pretty sure Wizards knew that going into this.</p>
<p>All in all exhausted cards are a decent trick to try and make work, and even through the 'fake' limitation might have been broken through immediately, we still get to experience what looks like a character's ultimate move that leaves them winded afterward.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Winter, Cursed Rider"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sita Varma, Masked Racer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boommobile"></div></div>
<p>It will be fun to learn about more exhaust cards and it's interesting to see that there's a place for them to be pretty powerful since you're only going to use the ability once in most Standard cases. Unless you're specifically building a deck around the flicker mechanic.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Loot, the Pathfinder"></div></div>
<p>At least he can only use this once right?...right?</p>
<h2>Vehicles and Mounts, Mounts and Vehicles</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kolodin, Triumph Caster"></div></div>
<p>This card is peak actually</p>
<p>Vehicles and Mounts are back from <em>Kaladesh</em> (the set) and <em>Outlaws of Thunder Junction</em> respectively and they have never been more iconic than here in <em>Aetherdrift</em>.</p>
<p>The crews in this race need some way to get around and they are bringing all of their custom transportation options to this Grand Prix.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lagorin, Soul of Alacria"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderous Velocipede"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Last Ride"></div></div>
<p>With Vehicles, you'll notice that it has the same stats as a creature, a power and toughness and all that. Yet once it reaches the battlefield, it's just an artifact, heck, even when it was a card in your hand it was just an artifact.</p>
<p>These artifacts typically have abilities, many a call back to creatures from <em>Magic's</em> past, that they've stuck onto the side of these cars and ships.</p>
<p>In order to turn these cards into creatures however you just need to crew them, which you do by tapping any number of creatures, add their combined power, and compare it to the crew cost written on the card.</p>
<p>If you have equal to or more power, the artifact becomes an artifact creature and now that power and toughness actually means something.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valor&#039;s Flagship"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unidentified Hovership"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skysovereign, Consul Flagship"></div></div>
<p>You can activate the crew ability at any time and on any turn, which has some wide reaching effects from instant blockers that get to dodge early turn sorcery speed removal.</p>
<p>Or simply just needing something to tap (and later untap on your turn) your creatures to. So Kona and Rip, Spawn hunter will both absolutely love this set as will King Macar.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kona, Rescue Beastie"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rip, Spawn Hunter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="King Macar, the Gold-Cursed"></div></div>
<p>Vehicles follow all of the same rules as creatures when they become them, so be sure not to turn your mana-producing Vehicle into a creature on first cast and then expect to be able to tap for mana. Summoning sickness, stun counters, health hitting zero, etc. all will suddenly lead to a bad misplay.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cultivator&#039;s Caravan"></div></div>
<p>It is also very worth noting that if a Vehicle gets to copy a creature, say with an ability to untap itself if you place a -1/-1 counter on itself, untap it.</p>
<p>You would be able to add infinite -1/-1 counters to the Vehicle because its power and toughness only matter when it is a creature. So combo off to your heart's content.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Imposter Mech"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Devoted Druid"></div></div>
<p>"Take that, Green"</p>
<p>Saddle and Mounts work very similarly to vehicles but were made after all the 'flaws' with vehicles were well documented.</p>
<p>Meaning they have stripped down the fun rather significantly. No tapping at instant speed and only on your turns is a bit of a bummer however there is one thing that Mounts have over vehicles and that is the fact that they are always a creature from the start.</p>
<p>Now there is no pesky crew cost when you want to swing out with your Mount!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lagorin, Soul of Alacria"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gloryheath Lynx"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gilded Ghoda"></div></div>
<p>The only thing the Mount wants to do is to rustle up some someone to saddle it so that it can attack with enhanced attack, usually in the form of an automatic "on attack" trigger. These triggers don't care what the card was saddled by, just that it was saddled.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bulwark Ox"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloudspire Captain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Autarch Mammoth"></div></div>
<p>Nothing bad happens to the neither the saddler nor the crew-er regardless of what happens to their Mounts and vehicles if they are destroyed. Perhaps they all come with really cool airbags?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="District Mascot"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloudspire Coordinator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brightfield Glider"></div></div>
<p>You wouldn't hurt these lil guys would you?</p>
<h2>Cycling</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Agonasaur Rex"></div></div>
<p>"Roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"</p>
<p>The final mechanic in the set is cycling, which is a returning mechanic that will probably become evergreen at some point!</p>
<p>This is an activated ability on a card in your hand and only your hand. You pay the cost of the cycle and then you discard the card and draw a card from the top of you deck. It's that simple!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curator of Mysteries"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hekma Sentinels"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shadow of the Grave"></div></div>
<p>Part of the cost to cycle is to discard the card, so your opponent cannot respond to your activation by making you get rid of that card before you discard it somehow, they can only do something before you draw the card itself.</p>
<p>There are also many cards in magic that trigger when you discard or even specifically cycle a card which we will certainly see some of the cards in this set.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archfiend of Ifnir"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shadowstorm Vizier"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shark Typhoon"></div></div>
<p>You might even find some cycling cards have triggered abilities that activate when you cycle the very card, usually giving a lesser version of the card's regular casted ability.</p>
<p>This gives you added value to picking the right time and place to Cycle instead of cast that only the greatest of <em>Magic</em> players know how to Maximize, which is why it's one of their most beloved mechanics!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dirge of Dread"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stir the Sands"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nimble Obstructionist"></div></div>
<p>With that we have reached the end of the main mechanics in the set. Honestly, it's refreshing to see some returning mechanics that could use more design love, especially Mount and Saddle.</p>
<p>Adding a new side mission to the game of reaching, or attempting to prevent, maximum speed is always a novel concept and this time I don't think it will lead to nearly the same eye-rolling frustration that Initiative or Day and Night brings.</p>
<p>What are your favorite <em>Aetherdrift</em> mechanics? And how did you fare in the Avishkar death race?</p>


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