<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stop That" href="#" target="_blank">Stop That</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://ansonmaddocks.com/">Anson Maddocks</a>)</h6>
<h1>We usually like to read articles about how to best win a game of <em><strong>Magic: The Gathering</strong></em>,</h1>
<p>strategies on how to better your approach to the game. I'm not interested in that today. I want to talk about the approach we take, when we lose. When we concede a game, how do we go about it? This is, funnily, not a big deal in competitive 1v1 formats like Standard, but in Commander, it's a big deal.</p>
<p>Conceding a game when someone declares you as a target for a high value spell could potentially lead to irreparable damage to the board state for the other players.</p>
<p>In Commander, we all know that as a multiplayer format, the game doesn't necessarily end when you concede. In games like Standard, concession is encouraged to keep the games snappy and worthwhile.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inevitable Defeat"></div></div>
<p>When a player sees they've lost, they concede, in Competitive 1v1 formats. I want to talk about the the potential perspectives and feelings surrounding the topic of concession in Commander.</p>
<h2>"Da Rules"</h2>
<p>Before we get into how we feel, <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/rules">it's important to discuss the official, Wizards of the Coast's, ruling on the topic</a>. Trust me, pro instant speed scoopers in Commander are quick to bring up the comprehensible ruling on the topic. Rule 104.3a reads: "A player can concede the game at any time.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lose Hope"></div></div>
<p>A player who concedes leaves the game immediately. That player loses the game." So, according to Wizards of the Coast, scooping happens instantaneously. Before we discuss the morals of this, we have to discuss what happens when a player leaves the game.</p>
<p>According to rule 800.4a: "When a player leaves the game, all objects (see rule 109) owned by that player leave the game and any effects which give that player control of any objects or players end. Then, if that player controlled any objects on the stack not represented by cards, those objects cease to exist.</p>
<p>Then, if there are any objects still controlled by that player, those objects are exiled. This is not a state-based action. It happens as soon as the player leaves the game. If the player who left the game had priority at the time they left, priority passes to the next player in turn order who’s still in the game."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lose Focus"></div></div>
<p>So, when someone concedes, everything about their board state, instantaneously changes. This is important to consider. Reading through some of 800.4: If combat damage would be assigned to that player, that damage isn’t assigned; If an object requires that player to pay a cost or choose whether to pay a cost, that cost is not paid; and mostly importantly according to 109.1.</p>
<p>An object is an ability on the stack, a card, a copy of a card, a token, a spell, a permanent, or an emblem so all objects owned by that player leave the game and any effects which give that player control of any objects or players end. Now that we're acquainted with the rules, now for the blood.</p>
<h2>Timing</h2>
<p>The biggest aspect of the etiquette of conceding focuses solely on the speed in which you concede. The colloquial term for this is instant speed scooping and sorcery speed scooping. Instant speed scooping allows a player to remove themselves from a game at any time, as written by WOTC.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Impeccable Timing"></div></div>
<p>It allows a player to leave a game which, from what I see online about this topic, is usually a miserable to continue playing. And they can do that on their own terms.</p>
<p>If they're sitting through a miserable Stax game, with no win in sight or an indeterminate infinite combo that the opponent insists on demonstrating, they can do that whenever they need to.</p>
<p>It also allows for the salty scoop as well, the spiteful one that might affect the games state or not, but simply when you no longer want to be apart of the game. We've all been there.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lose Calm"></div></div>
<p>The alternative is the sorcery speed scoop, which is also known as scooping on your turn. The idea is to let everyone have a chance to do what they need before you scoop.</p>
<p>This one is a little finicky because players will also just like to ask permission to scoop at instant speed in lieu of sorcery speed and consider them equal. "Can I scoop if you don't need me in the game for your turn."</p>
<p>Sorcery speed scooping allows triggers to happen as they need to before removing themselves from the game. It allows player dependent effects to continue until all players have had a chance the utilize this. An <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insurrection" href="#" target="_blank">Insurrection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could be ruined by a instant speed scoop by the wrong player.</p>
<p>It disrupts the game state by scooping at instant speed, so sorcery speed scooping attempts to mitigate that. Asking permission also mitigates that.</p>
<p>It wouldn't be an opinion piece if I didn't include my 2 cents. I think for the most part, sorcery speed scooping is the way. We want to win because of our genius of the game.</p>
<p>We don't want to spite another player's win while losing ourselves. We're not trying to king-make, so scooping at instant speed seems spiteful to the person who is trying to win. However, for some reasons I'll get into in a second, scooping at instant speed should be an option as well.</p>
<h2>Doing the Thing</h2>
<p>Another contentious point about concessions is the feeling and reasoning behind the act. I know that's vague, but follow me. Sometimes a game of Commander is down to two players, putting their heart and soul into the end of the game. One player manages to play two components to an infinite combo.</p>
<p>The other player notices and has no interaction and concedes on the spot. The first player might feel some kind of way not being able to play out their combo at least once before their opponent concedes. They built their deck to do the thing and they want the opportunity to do that thing: demonstrate the loop, or finish out their turn to win without the loop.</p>
<p>This is the exact sentiment that brought me to writing this article (and posting about it on my socials to get ideas from the community).</p>
<p>My thoughts here, personally, are that you've already won in a 1v1 when I concede. Conceding is a legitimate win to the other player, and it should feel like that. I know it might not feel as good for some players, but it is still a win. Why should I have to walk through your combo to know that I've lost?</p>
<p>I know it will only take 3 seconds to demonstrate the loop, and to be really honest, I'm willing to see it if the first time you've ever done it, or you're not sure about the line in it and are testing, but if it's just to win the way you want, I'm out.</p>
<p>It seems like you're rubbing my face into a loss. This is why a lot of players insist on scooping at instant speed even when it's high key toxic: to protect against players that want to rub their faces into a loss or a player who wants to make the experience un-fun for the other player. But maybe that's the salt in me. I imagine you can feel the heavy levels of salt through the screen.</p>
<h2>What is the Right Etiquette?</h2>
<p>Hey, if left to me, it will always be a concession at sorcery speed unless the person you're playing with is trying to rub it in your face. Sympathy first, flexibility when needed. The interesting thing is that concession is admitting a loss, which is tough in and of itself. No one likes to lose, to say they have nothing left, but this article is more about how that action affects others.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jaws of Defeat"></div></div>
<p>In Commander everything we do doesn't just affect our board states and our emotions but the board states and emotions of our opponents. What exactly is most important in a game of Commander: personal fun or the fun of the table? It's tough to say when those two things diverge in a game.</p>
<p>Either way, I know I took sides with this article, but take my thoughts as a suggestion. I know how unique everyone's experiences are and these aren't hard and fast rules. I see the ultimate merit to both sides of the argument, and because I've shared a lot of your sentiments.</p>
<p>We can't transpose a hard rule for every play group. We can't expect others to accept our personal expectations on a game, just like we can't get people to not lie about the power levels--sorry, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/wotc-introduces-new-bracket-system-for-edh">Bracket</a>--of their decks just to get a cheap win. However, we can advocate as much as we can and avoid players we don't enjoy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Closing Statement"></div></div>
<p>I will always end an article with the same thing: talk to your pod. Talk about your reasons for wanting to scoop at instant or sorcery speed and discuss your feelings on it. It's not about what is right or wrong, it's about compromise to make the experience best for everyone.</p>
<p>Commander is an incredibly social game and requires social solutions. Maybe WOTC sees a need here, like they have with the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/bracketeering-eternal-might">Brackets</a>, to discuss a Commander specific rule on scooping. Perhaps they don't need to. I want to hear your thoughts! <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/mike-carrozza">For more social aspects of Commander, check out Am I the Bolas</a>.</p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="2DiVU4O9yJ"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-enforcing-the-mulligan-rules/">Am I The Bolas? - Enforcing the Mulligan Rules</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="&#8220;Am I The Bolas? - Enforcing the Mulligan Rules&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-enforcing-the-mulligan-rules/embed/#?secret=qeoxM1PrpY#?secret=2DiVU4O9yJ" data-secret="2DiVU4O9yJ" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


When Should You Concede in Commander?

20 Best Dragon Cards for Commander

The Sultai Shuffle | $150 Teval, the Balanced Scale Deck Tech

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><em>Magic</em> Head Designer Mark Rosewater | Image Credit: Wizards of the Coast</h6>
<p>It's not surprising to many that <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em> is selling quite well right now. The sales data that Wizards of the Coast has access to seems to give credence to that idea. However, a few questions happen to spring from this well-received set, one of which we will cover here. In short, <em>Magic</em> Head Designer <strong>Mark Rosewater</strong> is busy on social media answering questions about <em>Magic</em>'s design process and its reception. Very specifically, on <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater">Blogatog</a>, Rosewater's work-oriented Tumblr blog, he has been addressing inquiries about exactly why <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em> has sold so well.</p>
<div class="tumblr-post" data-href="https://embed.tumblr.com/embed/post/t:DfYWVw3OWM7GYSz0pPuL-Q/781025267501137920/v2" data-did="da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709" ><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater/781025267501137920/re-ub-has-made-players-want-in-universe-sets-to">https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater/781025267501137920/re-ub-has-made-players-want-in-universe-sets-to</a></div>
<p><script async src="https://assets.tumblr.com/post.js?_v=38df9a6ca7436e6ca1b851b0543b9f51"></script></p>
<p>In his most in-depth reply, posted on Thursday, April 17th, Rosewater addressed a slight inaccuracy within his previous answers. In earlier replies, he mentioned the need for <em>Magic</em> sets to push boundaries. However, upon users such as the one in the embedded Tumblr post above calling Rosewater out on this, Rosewater admitted he misspoke. The crux of his point was that players want <em>Magic</em> to feel like <em>Magic</em>. Pushing bounds is still a valid design choice when designing for the game, and that holds true for "in-Multiverse" <em>Magic</em> sets.</p>
<div class="tumblr-post" data-href="https://embed.tumblr.com/embed/post/t:DfYWVw3OWM7GYSz0pPuL-Q/781082769582358534/v2" data-did="da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709" ><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater/781082769582358534/just-wanted-to-chime-in-that-im-incredibly">https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater/781082769582358534/just-wanted-to-chime-in-that-im-incredibly</a></div>
<p><script async src="https://assets.tumblr.com/post.js?_v=38df9a6ca7436e6ca1b851b0543b9f51"></script></p>
<p>But this brings us to why this all came together the way it did, from all this discussion of bounds and nostalgia to the roaring success of <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em>. During this whole discussion thread, Rosewater mainly tried to say that in-Multiverse <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> sets should, appropriately, feel like <em>Magic</em>.</p>
<p>This is something that <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em> has done exceptionally well in many players' eyes. It is entirely plausible that, to use a bit of redundant speech, <em>Magic</em> players want <em>Magic</em> cards. Many of those players are not particularly enthused by the <em>Universes Beyond</em> initiative or its many tie-ins. And to reuse a slight cliche, they often just want <em>Magic</em> the way its creator <strong>Richard Garfield</strong> originally intended.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breaching Dragonstorm"></div></div>
<h2>Mark Rosewater's Response Is A Good Sign</h2>
<p>Rosewater, addressing these accolades and questions, feels like a good step towards this goal. It at the very least means that the good people at Wizards of the Coast are listening to players' concerns. Does this mean that in the next 2.5 years, we will start getting in-Multiverse sets that definitively feel more like <em>Magic</em> of old? This may be true. At the same time, it could be a shorter span, or even a longer one, until we get that again. Furthermore, some in-Multiverse <em>Magic</em> sets may end up missing the mark on that concept. Such is the way of design-based experimentation. But suffice it to say, we should focus on the here and now and continue to celebrate the critical and commercial successes of <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em>.</p>
<p>Let's open the floor to you. How do you feel about the new set? Do you think it "feels" like <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>? Additionally, what is your opinion of <em>Universes Beyond</em>? Sound off below!</p>


Mark Rosewater: In-Multiverse Sets Should Feel Like Magic

Top 10 Combo Dragons

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gallifrey Stands" href="#" target="_blank">Gallifrey Stands</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="https://geringalex.artstation.com/https://geringalex.artstation.com/">Alexander Gering</a></h6>
<h1>Entering the TARDIS</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome to another edition of <em>Beyond the Multiverse</em>, where we dive into the Universes Beyond card pool and assemble decks from it. Today, we have one of two lists that's near and dear to my heart (The other will be coming soon). Above all, it's been a lot of fun to build and play with, and I've sought to reassemble the deck multiple times.</p>
<p>As icing on the cake, there's a flavor challenge that makes this immaculate. As a result, you weren't sacrificing power like we had to for the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/beyond-the-multiverse-whos-that-under-the-sea-spongebob-squarepants">Spongebob article</a> I did the other week, but it's still solid in its own right. Let's walk through the door, shall we?</p>
<h2>Meeting the Doctor</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Fourteenth Doctor"></div></div>
<p>The Doctor himself (at least for this incarnation; I'd be using they/them to address them generally) is a much-beloved figure from the <em>Doctor Who </em>series who travels across time and space on a myriad of adventures. They, hailing from the planet Gallifrey, stop numerous villains from achieving their schemes time and again.</p>
<p>This incarnation, however, was a short-lived one, as he was largely present for the series's 60th Anniversary specials. There, he undergoes a journey which culminates into a showdown with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Celestial Toymaker" href="#" target="_blank">The Celestial Toymaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He triumphs, but not before undergoing a special kind of regeneration that results in both he and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Fifteenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Fifteenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> coexisting.</p>
<p>Most importantly, Fourteenth has but a simple request for us: Run as many Doctors as we can. Moreover, he have you look at the top 14 cards of your library, and ditch any Doctors you see in the graveyard, and you choose one for him.</p>
<p>In addition, he becomes that Doctor, only except he has haste. Considering the cards, stretched across three precons and a Secret Lair Drop, we're bound to have several themes mashing together into some wibbly-wobbly mess.</p>
<p>...What's that? You want a focused deck plan? I threw that in a supernova. I simply don't agree with it. However, we're operating under a challenge: Every card in the deck is from the <em>Doctor Who </em>release, and a lone Secret Lair drop, <em>Secret Lair x Doctor Who: Regeneration</em>. However, we won't be using <em>The Masters of Evil</em> precon for today's decklist. That said, I'll have a section for it later in the article.</p>
<h2>Across Time and Space</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rose Noble"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Tenth Doctor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clara Oswald"></div></div>
<p>Going through all of the Doctors, we have a total of 17: First-Fifteenth, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The War Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The War Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (10, 973 decks) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Fugitive Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Fugitive Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4,299 decks), and with them comes a scattered mixture of effects, reflecting the themes of each preconstructed deck that featured the Doctors: Historic, Time Counters, and Exile/Paradox.</p>
<p>As a result, the rest of our deck has to blend in with them. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Tenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Tenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (10,919 decks) is one of the best: He suspends cards on attack and, if you can afford it, bring stuff from exile onto the stack quickly. With that in mind, you'd get to demonstrate those spells with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Twelfth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Twelfth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or rack up time counters to make <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The War Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The War Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a serious problem for your opponents.</p>
<p>Further, I would be remiss if I didn't bring up The Doctor's numerous companions. Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rose Noble" href="#" target="_blank">Rose Noble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (1,490 decks) not only draws us cards, but can be used in the Command Zone if we choose. You can choose to run Fourteenth on his own, but The Doctor must always have a companion.</p>
<p>Secondly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clara Oswald" href="#" target="_blank">Clara Oswald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (6,488 decks) also works, too, and is one of the best of the companions (card-wise), as she doubles up on any triggered abilities the Doctors have. Moreover, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yasmin Khan" href="#" target="_blank">Yasmin Khan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (3,763 decks) "draws" us a card we could cast. In a similar vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sarah Jane Smith" href="#" target="_blank">Sarah Jane Smith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (9,791 decks) lets us investigate for Historic spells we cast.</p>
<p>On the other hand, <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> (3,673 decks) is a threat in his own right, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K-9, Mark I" href="#" target="_blank">K-9, Mark I</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (27,659 decks) protects our legendary creatures (and we'll have a lot!). Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tegan Jovanka" href="#" target="_blank">Tegan Jovanka</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (5,753 decks) protects an attacking historic creature we control.</p>
<h2>We're in a Library; Arm Yourself</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="TARDIS"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Twice Upon a Time // Unlikely Meeting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Displaced Dinosaurs"></div></div>
<p>Most importantly, the rest of the deck should help bind all three themes together. The Doctor's famous <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="TARDIS" href="#" target="_blank">TARDIS</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (16,010 decks) is an exemplar of what we're looking for: It's Historic, and casts from exile via Cascade. Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspiring Refrain" href="#" target="_blank">Inspiring Refrain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (30,919 decks) is a spell you'll always want to suspend, drawing you cards once every few turns on average.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Into the Time Vortex" href="#" target="_blank">Into the Time Vortex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (15,276 decks) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throes of Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Throes of Chaos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (20,187 decks) not only Cascade, but can be cast from anywhere outside of your hand. This works in tandem with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Thirteenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Thirteenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (16,664 decks) to bolster your creatures, and untap them.</p>
<p>On the other hand, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Displaced Dinosaurs" href="#" target="_blank">Displaced Dinosaurs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (22,458 decks) turns the Doctors into major threats. In addition, it's worth noting that the clue tokens we make here can also become 7/7s as well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twice Upon a Time // Unlikely Meeting" href="#" target="_blank">Twice Upon a Time // Unlikely Meeting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (6,703 decks)'s adventure half gets us a Doctor we need, and (assuming we have at least two Doctors out) gives us an extra turn. Speaking of which, this does raise a concern with the deck.</p>
<p>With only 16 Doctors in the 99, we'll need to find as many of them as we can. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="An Unearthly Child" href="#" target="_blank">An Unearthly Child</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (5,294 decks) helps us dig for the Doctors, but also searches for their Companions and vehicles, too. However, the best of these is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Five Doctors" href="#" target="_blank">The Five Doctors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4,241 decks). Unkicked, we get to find up to five Doctors.</p>
<p>That said, if you're able to cast it with the kicker cost, we can get those five into play as well. Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Lord Regeneration" href="#" target="_blank">Time Lord Regeneration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4,708 decks) fetches another Doctor if one should happen to kick the bucket.</p>
<h2>Allons-y!</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Going Universes Beyond-The Rise of Gallifrey" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rose Noble
*1 The Fourteenth Doctor
[/Commander]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Farewell
*1 Farseek
*1 Impending Flux
*1 Inspiring Refrain
*1 Into the Time Vortex
*1 Search for Tomorrow
*1 The Five Doctors
*1 Throes of Chaos
*1 Traverse Eternity
*1 Twice Upon a Time // Unlikely Meeting
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Gallifrey Falls // No More
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Surge of Brilliance
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Time Lord Regeneration
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Adric, Mathematical Genius
*1 Clara Oswald
*1 Displaced Dinosaurs
*1 Jamie McCrimmon
*1 K-9, Mark I
*1 Sarah Jane Smith
*1 The Eighth Doctor
*1 The Eleventh Doctor
*1 The Fifteenth Doctor
*1 The Fifth Doctor
*1 The First Doctor
*1 The Fourth Doctor
*1 The Fugitive Doctor
*1 The Ninth Doctor
*1 The Second Doctor
*1 The Seventh Doctor
*1 The Sixth Doctor
*1 The Tenth Doctor
*1 The Third Doctor
*1 The Thirteenth Doctor
*1 The Twelfth Doctor
*1 The War Doctor
*1 Yasmin Khan
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 An Unearthly Child
*1 Banish to Another Universe
*1 Day of Destiny
*1 Gallifrey Stands
*1 Grasp of Fate
*1 The Eleventh Hour
*1 The Flux
*1 The Night of the Doctor
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Heroes&#039; Podium
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sonic Screwdriver
*1 TARDIS
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Talisman of Curiosity
*1 Talisman of Impulse
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 Talisman of Unity
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Dreamroot Cascade
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fiery Islet
*2 Forest
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*1 Gallifrey Council Chamber
*1 Game Trail
*2 Island
*2 Mountain
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*1 Path of Ancestry
*2 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rockfall Vale
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sunbaked Canyon
*1 Sundown Pass
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Thriving Bluff
*1 Thriving Grove
*1 Thriving Heath
*1 Thriving Isle
*1 Vineglimmer Snarl
*1 Waterlogged Grove
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>The Time War Ends</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heroes&#039; Podium"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gallifrey Stands"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Impending Flux"></div></div>
<p>Firstly, I'm sure this decklist looks like a glorified goodstuff mess, but perhaps this is a reason why The Doctor loves humans: Our ability to see patterns that aren't there. Crucially, there are a few ways to win with this deck.</p>
<p>You can go with the combat damage strategy with stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Day of Destiny" href="#" target="_blank">Day of Destiny</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> 17,137 decks), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroes&#039; Podium" href="#" target="_blank">Heroes&#039; Podium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (41,061 decks), and the aforementioned Displaced Dinosaurs. Our creatures tend to be small fries compared to what our opponents might be playing, so buffing them is just as important as accruing value.</p>
<p>The rest of the deck, like I stated, pulls a lot of the good stuff (including one of the best mana bases of any given set of precons) in to help give it a leg-up in games. While we have wipes like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (333,945 decks), both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impending Flux" href="#" target="_blank">Impending Flux</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Night of the Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Night of the Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (8,205 and 8,601 decks respectively) play into our Exile and Historic themes respectively.</p>
<p>In addition to the green ramp spells we have access to, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Search for Tomorrow" href="#" target="_blank">Search for Tomorrow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (82,020 decks), we get to use all six Talismans of our colors. Meanwhile, we have The Doctor's handy <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sonic Screwdriver" href="#" target="_blank">Sonic Screwdriver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (51,211 decks), which is a mana rock that also carries a lot of utility.</p>
<p>However, our ultimate way to win is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gallifrey Stands" href="#" target="_blank">Gallifrey Stands</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (5,127 decks). Firstly, it pulls all of the Doctors from our graveyard to hand. If we can cast enough of them, we win! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Sixth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Sixth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (12,154 decks) helps with this by copying each Doctor we play. That said, they won't be legendary, but they still fulfill the needed criteria. However, this is a common plan with Fourteenth, and people will see it coming from miles away, so be prepared to protect your game plan.</p>
<h2>Can You Hear the Drums?</h2>
<p>If you want to make use of cards from <em>The Masters of Evil</em> precon, then there's a few options here. Firstly, you'll gain access to <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> (922,694 decks), which is a good wipe all around. On the other hand, we can make great use of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyber Conversion" href="#" target="_blank">Cyber Conversion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (23,264 decks), one of the best targeted removal spells from this release. Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Propaganda" href="#" target="_blank">Propaganda</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (338,922 decks) deters attackers while we assemble our board.</p>
<h2>We're All Stories, In the End</h2>
<p>In conclusion, this list is as wild as it is consistent. Further, it's as flavorful as it's solid. I'm quite confident it's a list that can hold up in a Bracket Three pod, though I typically design for Bracket Two. It's been a blast every game I jammed with it, and I hope you feel the same as well.</p>
<p>That said, while you could make the list the ordinary way, it's a dull approach. Moreover, it's also not as flavorful, and isn't as satisfying. Each game feels like you're watching a full episode of <em>Doctor Who</em> play out right before your eyes. Will there be Cybermen or Daleks? Maybe not, but it fits the mold all the same.</p>
<p>What I also like the list is that, even with the smaller than usual card pool, you could find a way to make other cards work. Maybe you want to run your favorite Doctor's Companions. Perhaps, there's a favorite card you'd like to run. Go ahead.</p>
<p>Make your own episode, and however you want it to (doesn't mean winning every game, by the way. Even heroes have to lose at some point). Either way, I'm sure it'll make for some memorable stories down the road.</p>
<p>Join us next time when we (finally!) make our first dive into Marvel. Until then, and I guess if it's my last chance to say it...</p>


Beyond the Multiverse - The Fourteenth Doctor

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia and The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia and The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://www.howardlyon.com/">Howard Lyon</a></h6>
<h1><b>Da Bears</b></h1>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello again! Welcome back to </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Archetypes of Imagination</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a series where I build decks based on popular Commander archetypes. I'll be using </span><a href="https://tagger.scryfall.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scryfall's tagging system</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and</span><a href="https://edhrec.com/tags"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> EDHREC's Tag pages</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to build around a new theme each week. Scryfall has a really cool way of categorizing cards, where each card has specific labels attached to it for later reference. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spellstutter Sprite" href="#" target="_blank">Spellstutter Sprite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has the counterspell tag and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talisman of Dominance" href="#" target="_blank">Talisman of Dominance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has the ramp tag. EDHREC's tag system is really cool too, letting users see popular cards associated with a given strategy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xorn" href="#" target="_blank">Xorn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great in Treasure decks and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infectious Inquiry" href="#" target="_blank">Infectious Inquiry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great in infect decks. These tagging systems are great ways to get inspiration for certain deck archetypes, and I often start there when it's time for me to build a new deck!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This week, we'll be building a deck focused on hatebears: creatures that slow down the game and limit the number or kind of actions that players at the table can take. Most hatebears are small, lower cost creatures. A perfect example is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia, Heretic Cathar" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia, Heretic Cathar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She slows down our opponents' board development while also being a nice attacker or blocker. But, today's deck won't just be White and it won't just be led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia, Heretic Cathar" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We'll be building an Abzan (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) hatebear deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia and The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia and The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as the commander!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thalia and The Gitrog Monster"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia and The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia and The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a super powerful commander. This card lets us play an extra land each turn, sacrifice a disposable permanent for card advantage, and acts as a positively lethal attacker/blocker. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Plus, on top of all of that, this commander is a hatebear: they make sure that our opponents creatures and (at least some of their) lands come into play tapped. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia and The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia and The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will give us ample access to card advantage and ramp, it's now up to us what we'd like to do with the resource advantage provided by our commander. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I think, given that our commander lets us play an additional land each turn, we'll make our win condition based on those lands. We've got a pretty simple two part plan: slow down the game with a large collection of hatebears, then cruise to victory with any number of </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Landfall</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> payoffs. Let's get going!</span></p>
<h2><b>There's a fine line between love and hate</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, even though <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia and The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia and The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is already a pretty cool hatebear, we're filling the deck with a ton of others. One of my personal favorites is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archon of Emeria" href="#" target="_blank">Archon of Emeria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which provides a slightly-worse backup version of our commander and limits each player to just one spell per turn. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although we don't have many creatures that can be flashed in on our opponents' turns, thus breaking parity on this restriction, we're totally fine with a slower overall pace of play here. To that end, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kambal, Consul of Allocation" href="#" target="_blank">Kambal, Consul of Allocation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will slowly but surely drain our opponents' life totals. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He should keep our life total high, something that's important given that our opponents will surely want us out of the game with all of the stax pieces we'll be playing. I also really like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She can either make most of our team completely unblockable, and then act as a neat defensive tool afterwards. That's a lot of value for just three mana.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archon of Emeria"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kambal, Consul of Allocation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There's a lot more creatures here, so I'll just talk about a few more big hits. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hushbringer" href="#" target="_blank">Hushbringer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> prevents all creature ETB abilities, which we truly don't mind. We've only got four creatures in the whole deck with relevant ETB triggers. Plus, should we draw one of those creatures and want to make use of their text, we can just sacrifice the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hushbringer" href="#" target="_blank">Hushbringer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia and The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia and The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There's also <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archon of Valor&#039;s Reach" href="#" target="_blank">Archon of Valor&#039;s Reach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which may seem a bit ambitious at six mana. But, because our commander lets us play additional lands, we'll usually be getting this big, stax-y creature on the board on turn five or earlier. Having the ability to completely shut off a card type is extremely powerful, and we can make sure to choose a type that'll have little to no effect on our game plan.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> There's also a few one-sided effects in here, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aven Mindcensor" href="#" target="_blank">Aven Mindcensor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I feel a little bit mean for playing this card, but it fits so well with the gameplan. It slows our opponents down, can be flashed in on one of their turns to get around our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rule of Law" href="#" target="_blank">Rule of Law</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, and it's an evasive attacker. So, to make a long story short, the card is good.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hushbringer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archon of Valor&#039;s Reach"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aven Mindcensor"></div></div></span></p>
<h2><b>Land, ho!</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, once the game is moving at a more comfortable speed, and we've got access to our commander's extra-land-each-turn ability, it's </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Landfall</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> time. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avenger of Zendikar" href="#" target="_blank">Avenger of Zendikar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an obvious choice here. It can provide us with a large army of ever-growing creature tokens that our opponents just won't be able to keep up with. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The same can be said about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Retreat" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Retreat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It'll either pump up our whole team multiple times per turn, or provide some extra bodies should we need them. The brand-new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mossborn Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Mossborn Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works so well in this deck, especially if it hits the battlefield early. With the extra land drop <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia and The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia and The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides, this creature can get troublingly large.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Avenger of Zendikar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Felidar Retreat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mossborn Hydra"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, because we're running a full 40 lands (not counting MDFCs), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Six" href="#" target="_blank">Six</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is going to be an absolute star in this deck. We've got a few ways to play lands from the graveyard, so using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Six" href="#" target="_blank">Six</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s retrace ability isn't much of a problem at all, and this creature can help us pull other creatures that we sacrificed to our commander back to life.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This is one of my favorite cards from last year, and I think it should find a slot in just about every green-inclusive Commander deck. There's also a potent combination of cards that each work super well in the 99 of this deck: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titania, Voice of Gaea" href="#" target="_blank">Titania, Voice of Gaea</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Argoth, Sanctum of Nature" href="#" target="_blank">Argoth, Sanctum of Nature</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both of these cards are great on their own, either providing some disposable tokens + self mill or some incidental lifegain, but are obviously even better when combined. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I don't normally like putting meld cards in my decks, but I'll make an exception here because both halves of the eventual <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titania, Gaea Incarnate" href="#" target="_blank">Titania, Gaea Incarnate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great standalone cards.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Six"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titania, Voice of Gaea"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Argoth, Sanctum of Nature"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This week's decklist is a bit pricier than previous ones in this series because of the mana base. It's full of fetch lands and shock lands, largely because of how well fetch lands synergize with </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Landfall</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> abilities and how great they are when played from the graveyard. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you're interested in buying this deck, I encourage you to try out a cheaper mana base first and see if you like the general flow of the deck. Anyways, financial rant over. Here's the full decklist:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Archetypes of Imagination - Building a Hatebear Commander Deck" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Thalia and The Gitrog Monster
[/Commander]

[Creatures]
*1 Alms Collector
*1 Archivist of Oghma
*1 Archon of Emeria
*1 Archon of Valor&#039;s Reach
*1 Augur of Autumn
*1 Avacyn&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Aven Interrupter
*1 Aven Mindcensor
*1 Avenger of Zendikar
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Bloom Tender
*1 Boromir, Warden of the Tower
*1 Charismatic Conqueror
*1 Collector Ouphe
*1 Dauntless Dismantler
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Doorkeeper Thrull
*1 Drana and Linvala
*1 Eidolon of Rhetoric
*1 Elves of Deep Shadow
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Glissa Sunslayer
*1 Heartwood Storyteller
*1 Hushbringer
*1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
*1 Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff
*1 Manglehorn
*1 Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist
*1 Mossborn Hydra
*1 Mosswood Dreadknight // Dread Whispers
*1 Ohran Frostfang
*1 Opposition Agent
*1 Scute Swarm
*1 Serra Paragon
*1 Shalai, Voice of Plenty
*1 Six
*1 Springheart Nantuko
*1 Tireless Provisioner
*1 Titania, Protector of Argoth
*1 Titania, Voice of Gaea
*1 Toski, Bearer of Secrets
*1 Wandering Archaic // Explore the Vastlands
*1 Windborn Muse
*1 Yasharn, Implacable Earth
[/Creatures]

[Sorceries]
*1 Agadeem&#039;s Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt
*1 Ascend from Avernus
*1 Life from the Loam
*1 Retribution of the Meek
*1 Toxic Deluge
[/Sorceries]

[Instants]
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Entish Restoration
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Revitalizing Repast // Old-Growth Grove
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Tear Asunder
[/Instants]

[Lands]
*1 Argoth, Sanctum of Nature
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flagstones of Trokair
*1 Flooded Strand
*5 Forest
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Indatha Triome
*1 Lush Portico
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*5 Plains
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Prismatic Vista
*5 Swamp
*1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Undergrowth Stadium
*1 Vault of Champions
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]

[Enchantments]
*1 Felidar Retreat
*1 Walk-In Closet // Forgotten Cellar
[/Enchantments]

[Artifacts]
*1 Conduit of Worlds
[/Artifacts]"></span></div></span></p>
<h1></h1>
<h2><b>The machine marches on…</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That's it for this week, folks! Before you go, though, I wanted to chat about a few pieces of recursion that make the deck more resilient. One of my personal favorites is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conduit of Worlds" href="#" target="_blank">Conduit of Worlds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This is a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crucible of Worlds" href="#" target="_blank">Crucible of Worlds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect with upside, and I think this card will work fantastically with all the lands we'll be sacrificing to our commander. Notably, this is the only artifact that I included in this deck.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> That just makes cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heartwood Storyteller" href="#" target="_blank">Heartwood Storyteller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Collector Ouphe" href="#" target="_blank">Collector Ouphe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> even better. I also really like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agadeem&#039;s Awakening" href="#" target="_blank">Agadeem&#039;s Awakening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If you've read any of my writing before, you'll know I love MDFCs (maybe even a little bit too much). But this card can either be an extremely powerful reanimation spell OR an untapped <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>-generating land. What more can you ask for?<br />
Lastly, I wanted to show off <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Serra Paragon" href="#" target="_blank">Serra Paragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This is another card that I think should see more play. This card is already a relatively efficient attacker/blocker, but then we also get to recur a land or a small permanent on EACH turn AND gain life when that permanent dies later. This card does a little bit of everything, and fits so well in the 99 of our deck.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crucible of Worlds"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Agadeem&#039;s Awakening"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Serra Paragon"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thanks for reading! I'll see you all next week for a deck based around unblockable creatures.</span></p>


Archetypes of Imagination - Making a Hatebear Deck

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast</h6>
<p>There's always plenty to do at MagicCon events. From professional play, to panels, all the way to Commander pickup games, MagicCon is always a blast for those who join in on the fun. But now, for <a href="https://magic.gg/news/celebrating-final-fantasy-at-magiccon-las-vegas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MagicCon: Las Vegas</a>, there is even more incentive to reserve a spot! The event will, in part, celebrate <em>Wizards of the Coast</em>'s collaboration with <em>Square Enix</em> on <em>Magic: The Gathering's</em> upcoming <em>Final Fantasy</em> set.</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy</em>-themed Promo Yoshimaru</h2>
<p>There is a special surprise for fans of <em>FFXVI</em>'s goodest boy. If you attend MagicCon: Las Vegas this year, you will receive a promotional copy of Torgal, Clive's Companion. Torgal is a <em>Final Fantasy XVI</em>-themed reskin of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful" href="#" target="_blank">Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div id="attachment_148993" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-148993" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-148993" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Torgal-Clives-Companion-mtgxff.webp" alt="Torgal, Clive's Companion, a Final Fantasy XVI-themed reskin of Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful. " width="400" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Torgal-Clives-Companion-mtgxff.webp 646w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Torgal-Clives-Companion-mtgxff-215x300.webp 215w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><p id="caption-attachment-148993" class="wp-caption-text">Torgal, Clive's Companion, a <em>Final Fantasy XVI</em>-themed reskin of Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful.</p></div>
<p>Attendees of MagicCon: Las Vegas will receive their copy of Torgal alongside their entry badges, making that moment all the more special.</p>
<h2>The Making of <em>MTGxFF</em></h2>
<p>If you're attending on Friday, the convention has a panel that day detailing the behind-the-scenes efforts that allowed <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>'s latest Universes Beyond set to come to fruition.</p>
<blockquote><p>Sixteen FINAL FANTASY games spanning decades. Hundreds of beloved characters. Dozens of unique mechanics. Numerous art styles, tones, locations, animations, stories. How did the designers at Wizards of the Coast combine all of this to give us <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>—FINAL FANTASY? You can learn how at MagicCon: Las Vegas. Hear the stories from behind the scenes on how this monumental <em>Magic</em> set came to be.</p>
<p>Host: <strong>Ben Starr</strong><br />
Panelists: <strong>Daniel Holt</strong>, <strong>Gavin Verhey</strong>, <strong>Dillon Deveney</strong>, and <strong>Zakeel Gordon</strong></p></blockquote>
<h2>Pro Tour: <em>Final Fantasy</em></h2>
<p>Additionally, Pro Tour: <em>Final Fantasy</em> is at MagicCon: Las Vegas this year. Over 300 professional <em>Magic</em> players will compete in Vegas for their piece of a $500,000 prize pool. According to Magic.gg's blurb:</p>
<blockquote><p>With bragging rights, a $500,000 prize pool, and invitations to Pro Tour <em>Edge of Eternities</em> and <i>Magic</i> World Championship 31 on the line, it'll be an action-packed tournament! The formats for this event will be <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>—FINAL FANTASY Booster Draft and Standard Constructed.</p></blockquote>
<p>Players can also watch this event from home via <a href="http://twitch.tv/magic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">twitch.tv/magic</a>. There will also be periodic recaps for event coverage posted on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@play_mtg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Play MTG</a> YouTube channel.</p>
<h2>Other MagicCon Attractions in Las Vegas</h2>
<p>There are several other events and attractions at MagicCon: Las Vegas this year. These include:</p>
<h3>Ticketed Play Events</h3>
<p>The ticketed play events for this convention include:</p>
<ul>
<li>a Friday Night Magic 2-Headed Giant Sealed event</li>
<li>the Pro Tour Qualifier, wherein the event is <em>Final Fantasy</em> Sealed</li>
<li>a Commander Party event for <em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em></li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_148994" style="width: 569px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-148994" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-148994" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves.jpg" alt="A Final Fantasy sleeve, illustrated by Toshitaka Matsuda with a design created by Tetsuya Nomura, to be sold at the Square Enix booth at MagicCon: Las Vegas. " width="559" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves.jpg 2000w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-300x300.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-150x150.jpg 150w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-768x768.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-1536x1536.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px" /><p id="caption-attachment-148994" class="wp-caption-text">A <em>Final Fantasy</em> sleeve, illustrated by <strong>Toshitaka Matsuda</strong> with a design created by <strong>Tetsuya Nomura</strong>, to be sold at the Square Enix booth at MagicCon: Las Vegas.</p></div>
<h3>A Square Enix Merch Booth</h3>
<p>According to Magic.gg:</p>
<blockquote><p>Find plushies and figurines of iconic FINAL FANTASY characters—plus, be among the first to grab card sleeves featuring official FINAL FANTASY artwork in an advance sale before their retail release later this year!</p></blockquote>
<h3>Game Knights Live</h3>
<p>This fan-favorite event will take place on the Mana Stage on Friday evening. While <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> has vowed not to spoil any surprises, at least one player in the exhibition match will, in fact, have a deck based on a <em>MTGxFF</em> commander.</p>
<h2>Final Notes</h2>
<p>Are you going to MagicCon: Las Vegas? Will you be doing any specific activities while there? If you're familiar with the area, let us and your fellow commenters know what the best haunts are in the area! Sound off below!</p>


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