Brew For Your Buck - Captain Howler Budget Deck Tech

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anafenza, the Foremost" href="#" target="_blank">Anafenza, the Foremost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jamesrymanart/?hl=en">James Ryman</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>In honor of <em>Aetherdrift's</em> release, this week's episode is based around a theme that I've never built around before: vehicles! The new "death race" set provides us with a ton a sweet tech for this archetype, and I couldn't wait to brew around it!</p>
<p>Thanks to <em>Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty's</em> vehicle precon, the most popular color combination for this archetype is Azorius (white and blue).</p>
<p>Looking at the "bottom of the barrel", one of the least played color combination for this archetype is Abzan (white, black, and green), with 47 decks in the database.</p>
<p>Seeing this color combination, I immediately thought of an old legend from the original <em>Tarkir</em> block: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anafenza, the Foremost" href="#" target="_blank">Anafenza, the Foremost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anafenza, the Foremost"></div></div>
<p>Anafenza is well known for her "<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leyline of the Void" href="#" target="_blank">Leyline of the Void</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>"-style ability, but this deck makes her first line of text really shine.</p>
<p>When Anafenza attacks, she can put a +1/+1 counter on another tapped creature, and since crewing a vehicle requires you to tap a creature, this seemed like the perfect match!</p>
<h2>Category #1: Kind-of Vehicles (Mounts!)</h2>
<p>Our first category acts similarly to our overall vehicle plan, as the new "Mount" sub-type requires us to tap a creature for an additional benefit. Mounts are interesting because they are still creatures that can attack without being saddled.</p>
<p>Because of this, they get around a common vehicle downside: without a creature to crew the vehicle, it usually does nothing.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, being creatures right off the bat also means that mounts are more susceptible to removal, so that's something to keep in mind.</p>
<p>Mounts were introduced in <em>Outlaws of Thunder Junction</em>, but there are a few new ones from <em>Aetherdrift</em> that <em>needed</em> to be in this deck.</p>
<p>Bulwark Ox doubles down on the +1/+1 counter sub-theme and provides our modified creatures with much needed protection; District Mascot provides artifact removal in an adorable package (I mean, just look at him!!); Guardian Sunmare may be the strongest mount in the deck as it provides a consistent tutor effect for nonland permanents under 4 mana value; Seraphic Steed comes down early and provides extra power in the air via 3/3 Angel tokens; and The Gitrog, Ravenous Ride can allow us to draw an <em>absurd</em> amount of cards and put any number of those cards into play if they're lands.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bulwark Ox"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="District Mascot"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Guardian Sunmare"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seraphic Steed"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Gitrog, Ravenous Ride"></div></div>
<h2>Category #2: Creatures that <em>want </em>to be tapped</h2>
<p>Any vehicle deck can benefit from creatures that have triggers when they become tapped, and we are lucky to have a suite of great new options thanks to <em>Duskmourn's</em> "survival" mechanic.</p>
<p>For example: Kona, Rescue Beastie lets us drop <em>any permanent</em> if it is tapped in our second main phase; Rip, Spawn Hunter allows us to dig for more creatures and vehicles; and Reluctant Role Model just gets better and better each time its survival ability triggers!</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="Reluctant Role Model"></div></div>
<p>Outside of these picks from Duskmourn, there are a few other stars of the show: Wylie Duke, Atiin Hero gives us great card draw; Emmara, Soul of the Accord creates a 1/1 soldier token with lifelink (which is nothing to scoff at); Stonybrook Schoolmaster <em>also</em> creates a 1/1 body; Sanwell, Avenger Ace lets us dig for more vehicles; and King Macar, the Gold-Cursed provides removal <em>and</em> a gold token for the low price of untapping him!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wylie Duke, Atiin Hero"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emmara, Soul of the Accord"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stonybrook Schoolmaster"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sanwell, Avenger Ace"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="King Macar, the Gold-Cursed"></div></div>
<h2>Category #3: Creating "Pilots" and/or "Cowboys"</h2>
<p>We need creatures to crew our vehicles and saddle our mounts, and outside of that, just having consistent ways to generate creatures is never a bad thing!</p>
<p>Esika's Chariot was a standard all-star for a reason, and it allows us to double up on any creature token that we choose; Virtue of Loyalty lets us create a knight token at instant speed, all while being an absolute power house when we cast the 5-mana side; Parhelion II is expensive, but the pay-off for attacking with it is <em>insane; </em>Valor's Flagship is a fantastic new card that we can cycle in a pinch for some actual pilot tokens; The Prydwen, Steel Flagship gives us benefits for casting artifact spells; March of the Multitudes can create an instant board; Thousand Moons Smithy creates a huge Gnome token, which is hilarious; and Rolling Hamsphere creates hamster tokens, which is also hilarious.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Esika&#039;s Chariot"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Virtue of Loyalty"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Parhelion II"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valor&#039;s Flagship"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Prydwen, Steel Flagship"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="March of the Multitudes"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thousand Moons Smithy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rolling Hamsphere"></div></div>
<h2>Category #4: The "Secret Spice"</h2>
<p>There are 2 cards that round out our "secret spice" category this week, and one of them is a popular finisher in white token decks: Halo Fountain.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Halo Fountain"></div></div>
<p>This card is an absolute <em>house</em>, and can do just about anything. Need to create a token? Done. Draw a card? Done. Win the game?</p>
<p>Well, harder than the first two, but still an option. With all of the token makers in this deck, getting to 15 creatures should be no problem at all!</p>
<p>Our second "secret spice" is a card that I've been trying to brew around since it was spoiled: Mechtitan Core.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mechtitan Core"></div></div>
<p>With the sheer amount of vehicles in the deck, creating Mechtitan should be a breeze. The best part about this card?</p>
<p>If Mechtitan somehow gets removed, <em>we get everything we exiled back to the battlefield! </em>(Minus Mechtitan core, but hey, at least we did the cool thing once!)</p>
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">Now that <em>Aetherdrift</em> is here, it was the perfect time to build this deck. I hope this article builds some excitement for <em>Aetherdrift</em>, and I hope you can use my decklist as inspiration for your own vehicle deck!</p>
<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 vehicles!</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 - Anafenza, the Foremost" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Anafenza, the Foremost
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Avacyn&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Bulwark Ox
*1 Caradora, Heart of Alacria
*1 Caustic Bronco
*1 District Mascot
*1 Drumbellower
*1 Emmara, Soul of the Accord
*1 Guardian Sunmare
*1 House Cartographer
*1 Intrepid Stablemaster
*1 King Macar, the Gold-Cursed
*1 Kona, Rescue Beastie
*1 Lita, Mechanical Engineer
*1 Miriam, Herd Whisperer
*1 Oviya, Automech Artisan
*1 Reluctant Role Model
*1 Rip, Spawn Hunter
*1 Sanwell, Avenger Ace
*1 Seraphic Steed
*1 Sram, Senior Edificer
*1 Stonybrook Schoolmaster
*1 Teshar, Ancestor&#039;s Apostle
*1 The Gitrog, Ravenous Ride
*1 Wylie Duke, Atiin Hero
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Alacrian Armory
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Bessie, the Doctor&#039;s Roadster
*1 Conqueror&#039;s Galleon // Conqueror&#039;s Foothold
*1 Debris Beetle
*1 Demonic Junker
*1 Dodgy Jalopy
*1 Dune Drifter
*1 Ebony Fly
*1 Esika&#039;s Chariot
*1 Foreboding Steamboat
*1 Guidelight Matrix
*1 Halo Fountain
*1 Lumbering Worldwagon
*1 Mechtitan Core
*1 Mighty Servant of Leuk-o
*1 Parhelion II
*1 Peacewalker Colossus
*1 Reckoner Bankbuster
*1 Recon Craft Theta
*1 Rolling Hamsphere
*1 Salvation Engine
*1 Smuggler&#039;s Copter
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Prydwen, Steel Flagship
*1 Thousand Moons Smithy // Barracks of the Thousand
*1 Thunderhawk Gunship
*1 Thunderous Velocipede
*1 Unidentified Hovership
*1 Valor&#039;s Flagship
*1 Wand of the Worldsoul
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Dazzling Theater // Prop Room
*1 Virtue of Loyalty // Ardenvale Fealty
*1 Well Rested
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 One Last Job
*1 Split Up
*1 Tune Up
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Lethal Scheme
*1 March of the Multitudes
*1 Revitalizing Repast // Old-Growth Grove
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Abstergo Entertainment
*1 Ancient Den
*1 Bleachbone Verge
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Brushland
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darkmoss Bridge
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Fabled Passage
*3 Forest
*1 Goldmire Bridge
*1 Indatha Triome
*1 Inventors&#039; Fair
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Mech Hangar
*1 Minas Morgul, Dark Fortress
*1 Monumental Henge
*3 Plains
*1 Scene of the Crime
*1 Spire of Industry
*2 Swamp
*1 Temple of Malady
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Temple of Silence
*1 Thornglint Bridge
*1 Tree of Tales
*1 Vault of Whispers
[/Lands]"></span></div>


Bottom of the Barrel - Anafenza, the Foremost

Build a Precon- Mono-white Artifacts

Under the Radar - Anya, Merciless Angel

The Over/Under - Predicting the Popularity of Aetherdrift Commanders

Back to Basics - The Top 10 Most Played Selesnya Cards in Commander

2024’s EDHighlights -  Omo, Queen of Vesuva

Aetherdrift Set Review - Enemy &#038; Wedge

Top 10 Interesting &#038; Interactive - Aetherdrift

Aetherdrift Set Review - Artifacts &#038; Lands

Articles

Brew For Your Buck - Captain Howler Budget Deck Tech

Bottom of the Barrel - Anafenza, the Foremost

Build a Precon- Mono-white Artifacts

Under the Radar - Anya, Merciless Angel

The Over/Under - Predicting the Popularity of Aetherdrift Commanders

Back to Basics - The Top 10 Most Played Selesnya Cards in Commander

2024’s EDHighlights - Omo, Queen of Vesuva

Aetherdrift Set Review - Enemy & Wedge

Top 10 Interesting & Interactive - Aetherdrift

Aetherdrift Set Review - Artifacts & Lands