<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chaos Confetti" href="#" target="_blank">Chaos Confetti</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.marktedin.com/">Mark Tedin</a>)</h6>
<h1>Turn That Smile Upside Down</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>Too-Specific Top 10</em>, where if there isn't a category to rank our pet card at the top of, we'll just make one up! (Did you know the card to elicit the loudest groan from a table of <em>Storm</em> decks is <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>?)</p>
<p>This time through, we're flipping the script, taking a look at some of the <em>worst</em> cards in Commander. Since it's currently spoiler season for <em>Commander 2019, </em>let's make things more specific, and look at just the least-played cards that originated from Commander precons!</p>
<hr />
<h1>Top 10 Commander Flops</h1>
<p>As per usual, rankings are determined solely by the cards' EDHREC score, which is based on how many decks are playing the particular card. In this case, we're going to be judging cards exclusively printed for Commander, rather than looking at the cards that were just reprinted into the Commander product. (It is worth noting, however, that being reprinted after the fact is not only fine, it's probably a sign that the card is fairly decent after all!)</p>
<p>So without further ado, let's look at the least played Commander cards in Commander.<a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37092" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hooded Horror"></div></div>
<p>Attack the archenemy they said. It'll be unblockable, they said. Only... is that enough for a five-mana 4/4 to be playable? Alas, much like my old friend <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savannah Lions" href="#" target="_blank">Savannah Lions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this one just can't keep up in today's power creep environment, especially when the unblockable ability isn't concrete, but rather fastened onto a large caveat. While it may be that you've built your deck so that you aren't going to be the player with the most creatures, that doesn't guarantee that the person you actually need to attack will be, either.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37093" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Awaken the Sky Tyrant"></div></div>
<p>Back in the day, I used to absolutely love the 'hidden' cycle from <em>Urza's Saga</em>. Tired of that opponent playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hidden Gibbons" href="#" target="_blank">Hidden Gibbons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! Want to go faster than that guy playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Monolith" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Monolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hidden Guerrillas" href="#" target="_blank">Hidden Guerrillas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awaken the Sky Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Awaken the Sky Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fills much the same ultra-fast aggro reactionary role, but in Commander that role isn't very good. Even if there was a four-mana 5/5 flyer available without any additional requirements, it seems doubtful that it would see much play in this slower environment, so it's not too surprising that this would-be Dragon is sitting on the sidelines.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/3-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37094" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/3-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Naya Soulbeast"></div></div>
<p>In a similar vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Naya Soulbeast" href="#" target="_blank">Naya Soulbeast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be a huge trampler for your board... and then again, it might not. In either case, however, for eight mana you're going to want a spell that wins the game, not a vanilla creature that will probably take a few turns to swing in and die incidentally in the meantime. Not having a relevant ability to the board is just not good enough these days, even at lower power levels. The fact that this particular Beast might just be an eight-mana 2/2 makes this card a terrible option for any deck.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/4-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37095" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/4-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fell Shepherd"></div></div>
<p>I'm more sympathetic to our number four card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fell Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Fell Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In the older days of Commander, this card even saw decent amounts of play, having a relevant triggered ability that synergized with its sacrifice outlet. That and the fact that the sacrifice outlet powers removal to keep the Shepherd unblocked, and this thing should be knocking it out of the park. There's just one problem: it costs seven mana to get out, and then additional mana for each time you sacrifice a creature. There's a lot of possible upside here, but it's unfortunately locked up by needing a lot of resources to get there.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/5-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37096" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/5-resized.png" alt="" width="346" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Terra Ravager"></div></div>
<p>Four toughness isn't a lot in a game of EDH. Only counting commanders, much less other creature staples of the format, there are 377 legendary creatures who can block <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terra Ravager" href="#" target="_blank">Terra Ravager</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and kill it. Of those, about a tenth of them have some sort of indestructible or <em>Regenerate </em>ability, making the likelihood of an even trade much less than a guarantee. Perhaps if the boost the Ravager gets from your opponents' lands was around for blocking or for toughness as well, this might be a bit more of a threat. However, as is, without any sort of evasion and with a high likelihood that this will swing once and die for its trouble, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terra Ravager" href="#" target="_blank">Terra Ravager</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is yet another creature in a long line of fairly vanilla creatures that just aren't making the cut.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/6-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37097" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/6-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Widespread Panic"></div></div>
<p>At number six on the list, this is the first in our Top 10 to actually have me a bit confused by its presence. Don't get me wrong, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Widespread Panic" href="#" target="_blank">Widespread Panic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a weird card that doesn't quite fit in discard or chaos decks, but it doesn't quite <em>not</em> fit either. Add in that it hoses tutors that put cards on top of the deck and acts as an unending <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plow Under" href="#" target="_blank">Plow Under</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a deck built around on-board abilities rather than new spells, and it really seems like a place should have been found for this enchantment. In particular, for those decks that thrive on self-mill or exiling the top card of the library, this seems like a unique weapon that could be deadly with the right setup. Honestly, I think that some red commanders that care about the top of the library need to step up and start playing this card. Looking at you, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Melek, Izzet Paragon" href="#" target="_blank">Melek, Izzet Paragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Borborygmos Enraged" href="#" target="_blank">Borborygmos Enraged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire" href="#" target="_blank">Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Maybe throw some <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soldier of Fortune" href="#" target="_blank">Soldier of Fortune</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in there too.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Melek, Izzet Paragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Borborygmos Enraged"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/7-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37098" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/7-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Empyrial Storm"></div></div>
<p>One of the nice things about a "worst of" list is that the cards get better as you go. Now, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Empyrial Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Empyrial Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is far from a slam dunk, but it is still a decent card. One 4/4 Angel for six mana is a terrible deal. Two is probably all right, but not exactly ideal. Once you start getting three or more, however, this could actually pack quite the punch. So the question is, what cheap commander cares about tokens and gets cast repeatedly? Might I introduce you to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saffi Eriksdotter" href="#" target="_blank">Saffi Eriksdotter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? How about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhys the Redeemed" href="#" target="_blank">Rhys the Redeemed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia, Guardian of Thraben" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia, Guardian of Thraben</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? (PS: if you have <em>Partner </em>commanders, this triggers for each of them!)</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/8-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37099" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/8-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eye of Doom"></div></div>
<p>While the price could be better, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eye of Doom" href="#" target="_blank">Eye of Doom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s effect can actually be a real boon for the table. Being able to destroy the four best permanents on the board can really level the playing field; the only question is whether it will change it in your favor. Especially if you are doing well, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eye of Doom" href="#" target="_blank">Eye of Doom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might backfire and one or more of <em>your</em> nonland permanents as opposed to your opponents'. Still, in the right political deck, it could just work out.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/9-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37100" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/9-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="228" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shared Trauma"></div></div>
<p>Initially it would appear that we're in another slump here, but it's worth pointing out that the worst version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Trauma" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Trauma</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> says "pay X+1 mana to have each player mill the top X cards of their library." That effect alone isn't unplayable for the mill strategy, and might even be playable in several decks that are just interested in filling their graveyard. Unfortunately, there are probably better options for both the mill and self-mill decks, namely <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind Grind" href="#" target="_blank">Mind Grind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dread Summons" href="#" target="_blank">Dread Summons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.<a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37101" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Acorn Catapult"></div></div>
<p>You probably play this if you're in the Squirrel deck, because as we've gone over before here on <em>Too-Specific Top 10</em>, there are only 14 cards relating to Squirrels total in the history of <em>Magic</em>. That said, it's still going to be rather underwhelming for you, as you'll probably just be using it to make one Squirrel a turn, sometimes also losing a life in the process, all for much more mana than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squirrel Nest" href="#" target="_blank">Squirrel Nest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
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<h2>What Do You Think?</h2>
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<p>And finally, which cards do you remember from the Commander products that really just underwhelmed you? What kinds of cards used to make the cut for your decks but aren't pulling their own weight anymore?</p>
<p>Let us know in the comments, and we'll see you at the Bad Rare Blackjack table soon!</p>


Too-Specific Top 10 - Commander Flops

<h1>A Card for the Aeons</h1>
<p>Hey everyone! Kya here once again, this time bringing you a new and exciting preview card from the upcoming <em>Commander 2019</em>! Our thanks to <em>Wizards of the Coast </em>for the free preview!</p>
<p>To see the card, check out this video by <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/author/joseph-schultz/">Joey Schultz</a> of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCApiDwDpn_JpzRGLZKrdr1g">EDHREC podcast</a>!</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="EDHREC Commander 2019 Preview Card!" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iIPN8-_OuP0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Isn't. It. Beautiful? It brings a tear to my eye. Not since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cruel Entertainment" href="#" target="_blank">Cruel Entertainment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has <em>Wizards</em> shown such love to us followers of chaos! The card itself is simple, but the nonsense it creates is hilarious. If I didn't know better, I'd have expected a card like this to appear in <em>Unstable</em>!The only black-bordered comparison we have is from one of the <em><a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=226556">Planechase</a> </em>products! Plus, that flavor text is just plain phenomenal.</p>
<p>For those who don't know, I write the <em>Bringing Magic to Life </em>series here on EDHREC, where I craft 3D prints of my favorite commanders and their trinkets, from Omnath tokens to Kozilek figurines. I also have what some call an unhealthy obsession with chaos cards. This preview card fuses both passions together! Today we'll craft a deck that will turn our new card into a total nightmare for our enemies, and stay tuned at the end of the article for some 3D-printed crafts of the card itself!</p>
<p>Alright, we know the card. Now let's abuse it!</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/image_from_ios.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37285" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/image_from_ios.png" alt="" width="258" height="360" /></a></p>
<hr />
<h2>Engineer of Chaos</h2>
<p>Now sadly, there are two small drawbacks to this new card. First, it has the audacity to come into play tapped. What if someone blows it up before I have a chance to radically change the game as we know it? The second issue is that it exiles itself upon use. Now I know you're asking, "But how am I going to mess with my opponents over and over again to appease the chaos overlords when this card exiles itself?" Don't worry, Kya is here to provide solutions!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer"></div></div>
<p>That's right, it's Rude-iclad! I mean, Brudiclad! The prince who was promised! We're going to use him to create an unstoppable army of tokens, and we're going to use those tokens to create something truly magical: mayhem.</p>
<p>At the start of combat, Brudiclad creates a creature token, then turns all of your tokens into a copy of any token you control. Importantly, this effect does not last until end of turn - they stay that way indefinitely. You can turn all your Myr tokens into Thopters, or your Servos into Treasure! And if we manage to make a copy of our new Aeon Engine, we can make a whole boatload of Engines, allowing us to mess with the game however we please!</p>
<p>How do we accomplish this? Easy:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prototype Portal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saheeli&#039;s Artistry"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stolen Identity"></div></div>
<p>There are tons of ways to make copies of artifacts, from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prototype Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Prototype Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saheeli&#039;s Artistry" href="#" target="_blank">Saheeli&#039;s Artistry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All we need to do is assemble a bunch of tiny tokens with Brudiclad staples like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whirler Rogue" href="#" target="_blank">Whirler Rogue</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spell Swindle" href="#" target="_blank">Spell Swindle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, then stick the Engine and make a single copy of it. After that, Brudiclad will transform our tiny tokens into a turn-twisting masterpiece. Best of all, those tokens are already in play, so unlike the original Engine, which enters tapped, all the copies will already be untapped!</p>
<p>And because I cannot resist the temptation to add in even more chaos, I hope you won't mind if a few other cards join the fray:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Timesifter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindslaver"></div></div>
<p>I just can't help myself. This is the deck's ultimate goal: to wrest control of the game away from our opponents entirely by creating a nightmare of turn orders that make the chaos gods themselves giddy with delight. Extra <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindslaver" href="#" target="_blank">Mindslaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s means that you get all the turns! Multiple <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Timesifter" href="#" target="_blank">Timesifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s will each store up extra turns, so even if one is destroyed, the others have been charging their batteries. Even if they knock you out of the game, you'll have created a massive ripple effect that will forever impact the game. Do you know what happens if you have multiple <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Timesifters" href="#" target="_blank">Timesifters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stranglehold" href="#" target="_blank">Stranglehold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play? If you play this deck correctly, you'll find out! Mwahaha!</p>
<p>For kicks, I've also included extra effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omen Machine" href="#" target="_blank">Omen Machine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gate to the Aether" href="#" target="_blank">Gate to the Aether</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which also produce a crazy effect on the game when you're able to make a bunch of copies of them. Does your friend think they're a <em>Storm </em>player? They haven't seen a true storm until they've seen this deck!</p>
<p>This is the perfect level of shenanigans worthy of our new preview card. Check out the full fabled decklist below!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Multiplying Chaos" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Sharding Sphinx
*1 Thopter Assembly
*1 Whirler Rogue
*1 Siege-Gang Commander
*1 Loyal Apprentice
*1 Krenko, Mob Boss
*1 Etherium Sculptor
*1 Tilonalli&#039;s Summoner
*1 Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher
*1 Hanweir Garrison
*1 Myr Battlesphere
*1 Beetleback Chief
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Spell Swindle
*1 Fated Infatuation
*1 Hornswoggle
*1 Supplant Form
*1 Thirst for Knowledge
*1 Counterspell
*1 Masterful Replication
*1 Confirm Suspicions
*1 Cackling Counterpart
*1 Cyclonic Rift
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Clone Legion
*1 Stolen Identity
*1 Rite of Replication
*1 Echo Storm
*1 Zndrsplt&#039;s Judgment
*1 Tempt with Reflections
*1 Tempt with Vengeance
*1 Saheeli&#039;s Artistry
*1 Fabricate
*1 Quasiduplicate
*1 Brass&#039;s Bounty
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Aeon Engine
*1 Timesifter
*1 Omen Machine
*1 Mirrorworks
*1 Gate to the Aether
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Knowledge Pool
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Tamiyo&#039;s Journal
*1 Genesis Chamber
*1 Prototype Portal
*1 Mindslaver
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Curse of Opulence
*1 Followed Footsteps
*1 Stranglehold
*1 Efficient Construction
*1 Mechanized Production
*1 Flameshadow Conjuring
*1 Thopter Spy Network
*1 Mirrodin Besieged
*1 Storm the Vault
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Saheeli Rai
*1 Saheeli, the Gifted
*1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Command Tower
*1 Izzet Boilerworks
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Spirebluff Canal
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Seat of the Synod
*1 Great Furnace
*1 Darksteel citadel
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Kher Keep
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Spawning Bed
*11 Island
*10 Mountain
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/09.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-36861" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/09.png" alt="" width="700" height="220" /></a></p>
<h2>Let's Get Crafty!</h2>
<p>No matter what pod you jump into with this deck, keeping up with all of your triggers is going to be a nightmare for everyone at the table, yourself included. Especially with our new spoiler card, how are you going to know which way the turns are going after the 16th time Aeon Engine went off? Kya is here to help!</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/67177903_642734332905264_5137151816571551744_n.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-36968" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/67177903_642734332905264_5137151816571551744_n.jpg" alt="" width="327" height="373" /></a></p>
<p>We're going to create our own replica of Aeon Engine! This way we have a cool, stabby-looking prop to help our pod shine a light through the chaotic abyss. I absolutely loved the art on this card, although seeing the details of the artifact was very difficult. I really hope I got the general shape right!</p>
<p>Focusing on just the artifact, it looks like a strange-looking clock sitting on top of a goblet with a hole through it, where it shoots energy through the artifact to create a time portal! If I have any regret about this 3D printing, it's that I can't actually shoot lasers out of it.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/0bf54fb828074b2cfba3546b27baa93c_preview_featured.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-36849" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/0bf54fb828074b2cfba3546b27baa93c_preview_featured.jpg" alt="" width="265" height="358" /></a></p>
<p>Now comes the 3D printing of our new chaotic artifact! True story, this artifact was so destabilizing to the aether that it destroyed my 3D printer. Parts of it, anyway: I had to order new components to get this little project completed! This should be a lesson to all those new to dabbling in chaos: safety last... I mean first! Sorry, the backwards turns have me all mixed up.</p>
<p>The device is printed in three parts, though for future iterations it can probably be split into just two. Regardless, we now have a new 3D print that we can aim in the direction of turn orders as they're changed. Bonus points if you add a bubble blower to the goblet portion so it matches the art!</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/67511882_351079215585985_642594920720236544_n.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-36969" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/67511882_351079215585985_642594920720236544_n.jpg" alt="" width="204" height="303" /></a></p>
<hr />
<h2>Arcane Printings</h2>
<p>It'd be a little selfish if I limited our 3D models to just our preview card, so let's add in one more 3D print in this article. I'm sure everyone has been freaking out about the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that was revealed a while back. Truly not since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a card belong in nearly every deck! I couldn't resist adding this trinket to our collection as well.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/09-1.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-36879" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/09-1.png" alt="" width="500" height="219" /></a></p>
<p>Let's keep it simple, shall we? I created shapes for the larger indents around the rims and added the flat surface in the upper-middle section. <span class="c-message__body" dir="auto" data-qa="message-text">As for the arcane effects you see in the art, we can just paint the glowing effects of the talisman's magic once we print it out</span>. I rarely get a chance to paint my prints beyond just a general coat, so I'm a little excited!</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/07-1.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-36877" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/07-1.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="203" /></a></p>
<p>Printed! See, it was super simple! Painting the model wasn't too much of a hassle, either!</p>
<p>Now all that's left is to find an adorable kitty to model off my precious gem:</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/08-1.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-36878" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/08-1.jpg" alt="" width="294" height="360" /></a></p>
<p>She doesn't look amused, does she? I guess she doesn't want it? That's fine, more for me!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>Thanks again to <em>Wizards </em>for this awesome free preview card! I hope the decklist above has inspired some ideas of your own on how to abuse Aeon Engine in all its glory! It's a great budget list to show off to your friends, even if they only let you play it once a year!</p>
<p>So what did you all think of our special card? It's not often that we get chaotic multiplayer cards as unique as this! Please let me know how you plan to use this card in your decks in the comments below. Any contribution may help other readers try and figure out ideas of their own, so don't be shy!</p>
<p>I'll be at GP Vegas between this article and the next one, so wish me luck! If you're there and think you can stomach being in a pod with me and all my chaos, be sure to give me a wave!</p>
<p>Until next time,</p>
<p>Kya</p>


Commander 2019 Preview Card

Epic Experiment - Protean Hulk

Conditions Allow - Gabriel Angelfire

<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="EDHRECast: Commander 2019 Preview Card" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5qjyEZq9T_U?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><em>Commander 2019</em> is almost here, and the EDHRECast is here to manifest a new and exciting free preview card from <em>Wizards of the Coast!</em></p>


EDHRECast - Commander 2019 Preview Card!

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.peteventers.com/blog/">Pete Venters</a>)</h6>
<h1>Honor Among Thieves</h1>
<p>Greetings everyone, and welcome back to <em>Monomania</em>. In this article series we build mono-color decks as a way to explore ramp and draw packages that are synergistic with our particular deck’s strategy. In these articles I try to challenge staples of and misconceptions about the color pie. Today, we're making off like bandits and flirting with the infinite.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker"></div></div>
<p>Kiki-Jiki is an infamous card in the history of <em>Magic: the Gathering, </em>notorious as a linchpin in various two-card infinite combos. Chances are that if you bring up Kiki, the majority of <em>Magic</em> players will immediately recognize the name. It may even call to mind his most salient partners in crime: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pestermite" href="#" target="_blank">Pestermite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deceiver Exarch" href="#" target="_blank">Deceiver Exarch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In Commander, we can’t include either of these cards with him at the helm. Perhaps that is why Kiki’s reputation in competitive formats hasn’t translated into EDH popularity—his most familiar combos aren’t available to him. Shockingly, Kiki only leads 192 decks listed on EDHREC. For such a unique effect, this card sees very little play in the format. Let’s see if this is justified. Is Kiki a monotonous combo-in-a-can? Or is he sufficiently nuanced to lead a fun and interesting deck?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fanatic of Mogis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ashnod&#039;s Altar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grab the Reins"></div></div>
<p>Outside of the combo potential, three types of effects seem like they will play well with our general: creatures with potent “enters the battlefield” triggers, sacrifice outlets, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Threaten" href="#" target="_blank">Threaten</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects. Creatures with powerful ETB triggers make great targets for Kiki’s ability. Sacrifice outlets allow us to gain advantage out of tokens that are going to the graveyard anyway. Finally, ways to steal our opponents' minions until end of turn become very powerful in combination with a high density of sacrifice outlets. If an opponent is playing a commander like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yarok, the Desecrated" href="#" target="_blank">Yarok, the Desecrated</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brago, King Eternal" href="#" target="_blank">Brago, King Eternal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we can even steal their creatures, make a token, and then sacrifice the original to try to keep up.</p>
<p>With this direction in mind, let’s take a look at how we’ll abuse Kiki.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Five Finger Discount</h2>
<p>I've included several staple mana rocks in this deck to ensure that we can get our general online quickly. We have the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Extraplanar Lens" href="#" target="_blank">Extraplanar Lens</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> package alongside <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coldsteel Heart" href="#" target="_blank">Coldsteel Heart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Fire Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Star Compass" href="#" target="_blank">Star Compass</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Outside of the obvious, I've also found several creatures that produce some sort of ramp when they enter the battlefield.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wily Goblin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rapacious Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emrakul’s Hatcher"></div></div>
<p>Treasure tokens aren't a permanent form of ramp, but they can supplement our ramp package and fill in gaps. The versatility of these sub-optimal cards comes from their interaction with Kiki. While we would much rather produce more value with our commander's ability, copying creatures that produce Treasure can help us build up to a more explosive turn later in the game. While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides more potential mana in theory, the fact that Eldrazi Spawn are more fragile makes them slightly less valuable because they are more liable to be swept up in an errant board wipe. The temporary nature of these mana-producing tokens presents important decision points to the player—how to prioritize plays, which cards are imperative to a particular moment, and how to play around removal such as board wipes.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Treasure Map"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thaumatic Compass"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dowsing Dagger"></div></div>
<p>Finally, as always, I've included some of the <em>Ixalan </em>transform cards. If this is your first time reading <em>Monomania,</em> welcome, and these cards are my darlings. Each of them provides a decent effect on their face, and land ramp on the back end. They are fantastic tools for mono-color decks to overcome ramp shortages. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dowsing Dagger" href="#" target="_blank">Dowsing Dagger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card that I haven't written about before, but seems like a good fit here. This deck includes 32 creatures and plenty of ways to steal creatures to clear the way for our attackers, a perfect way to flip this card. Giving an opponent two Plant tokens is also a fun political tool, perhaps making an ally in exchange for a minute amount of value. On top of all this, the Dagger's land variant is among the most powerful in the cycle, impersonating <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lotus Vale" href="#" target="_blank">Lotus Vale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the more recent <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lotus Field" href="#" target="_blank">Lotus Field</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Any card that can be compared to something with 'Lotus' in its name at least deserves consideration.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Cashing Out</h2>
<p>In terms of draw effects, we're looking for creatures that can be abused by Kiki. By searching through Scryfall and the EDHREC page for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feldon of the Third Path" href="#" target="_blank">Feldon of the Third Path</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I've found a few creatures with card advantage attached to their ETB triggers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dire Fleet Daredevil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abbot of Keral Keep"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark-Dweller Oracle"></div></div>
<p>First, we have the rent-before-you-buy effects that have become the classic style of card advantage for red. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dire Fleet Daredevil" href="#" target="_blank">Dire Fleet Daredevil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abbot of Keral Keep" href="#" target="_blank">Abbot of Keral Keep</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be continually abused as Kiki tokens. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark-Dweller Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Dark-Dweller Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides card advantage attached to a sacrifice outlet, an effect we're hungry for. All of these cards cost two mana, a small investment for the potential to gain incremental card advantage over time.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skyscanner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Filigree Familiar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pilgrim&#039;s Eye"></div></div>
<p>Here we have a suite of artifact creatures that also provide piecemeal card advantage that can become significant if triggered more than once. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Filigree Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Filigree Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does not draw a card upon entering the battlefield, but because Kiki specifies that you sacrifice rather than exile the token at the end of turn, a token of the familiar will draw us a card.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Humble Defector"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hoarding Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindclaw Shaman"></div></div>
<p>Finally, we have a few oddball card advantage inclusions. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Humble Defector" href="#" target="_blank">Humble Defector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very entertaining and if you haven't tested it out with your playgroup yet, I highly recommend it. Depending on how your friends play, you can sometimes make deals to pass the Defector back and forth. With Kiki, however, we can avoid the downside. With a sacrifice outlet and Kiki on board we can make a defector token, tap it to put its effect on the stack, sacrifice the token, and draw two cards without giving our opponents anything. If we feel like being more generous, we can fill our opponents' boards with Defector tokens.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hoarding Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Hoarding Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> tokens can also be an incredible form of card advantage,tutoring for some of our powerful artifacts. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may not look like card advantage, but actually acts as a two for one, filching a spell from an opponent's hand and also casting it. It's a discard effect and an extra spell in our hand at once.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Deck</h2>
<p>With all of these considerations taken into account, let's put it all together with a decklist.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sundial of the Infinite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zealous Conscripts"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clone Shell"></div></div>
<p>Among the notable inclusions, we have a mix of combo pieces and fun tech. With a brief examination of Kiki’s EDHREC page, we find a significant combo piece. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sees play in 82% of Kiki’s decks and is an instant inclusion here. Our commander couples with the Conscripts for an easy two-card combo that can end the game on the spot by creating infinite Conscript tokens. If we don't want to draw the ire of the table, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also plays into our strategy of stealing our opponents' creatures for sacrifice fodder.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sundial of the Infinite" href="#" target="_blank">Sundial of the Infinite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, if activated correctly, can allow us to keep our Kiki tokens. In the end step, when the tokens' sacrifice triggers go on the stack, we can activate the Sundial, end the turn, and cause the triggers to fizzle. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clone Shell" href="#" target="_blank">Clone Shell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also an extremely fun target for our commander, allowing us to dig for creatures with powerful ETBs turn after turn and put them directly into play. Finally, we have a set of mass <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Threaten" href="#" target="_blank">Threaten</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mass Mutiny" href="#" target="_blank">Mass Mutiny</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mob Rule" href="#" target="_blank">Mob Rule</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insurrection" href="#" target="_blank">Insurrection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mass Mutiny" href="#" target="_blank">Mass Mutiny</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has less potential to end games, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mob Rule" href="#" target="_blank">Mob Rule</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insurrection" href="#" target="_blank">Insurrection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> absolutely can. And if they don't end the game, our sacrifice outlets can also turn these spells into mass removal.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Smash and Grab" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Goblin Welder
*1 Abbot of Keral Keep
*1 Dark-Dweller Oracle
*1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
*1 Goblin Engineer
*1 Humble Defector
*1 Wily Goblin
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Filigree Familiar
*1 Manic Vandal
*1 Pilgrim’s Eye
*1 Priest of Urabrask
*1 Skittering Surveyor
*1 Skyscanner
*1 Captivating Crew
*1 Fanatic of Mogis
*1 Flametongue Kavu
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Cavalier of Flame
*1 Clone Shell
*1 Emrakul’s Hatcher
*1 Hoarding Dragon
*1 Ingot Chewer
*1 Mindclaw Shaman
*1 Rapacious Dragon
*1 Zealous Conscripts
*1 Combustible Gearhulk
*1 Conquering Manticore
*1 Duplicant
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Molten Primordial
*1 Sandstone Oracle
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Arcbond
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Grab the Reins
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Chain Reaction
*1 Mass Mutiny
*1 Mob Rule
*1 Insurrection
*1 Blasphemous Act
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer’s Bauble
*1 Coldsteel Heart
*1 Dowsing Dagger
*1 Fire Diamond
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Magewright’s Stone
*1 Spawning Pit
*1 Star Compass
*1 Sundial of the Infinite
*1 Thaumatic Compass
*1 Treasure Map
*1 Ashnod’s Altar
*1 Extraplanar Lens
*1 Mimic Vat
*1 Phyrexian Altar
*1 Helm of the Host
*1 Panharmonicon
*1 Caged Sun
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Goblin Bombardment
*1 Shivan Harvest
*1 Vance’s Blasting Cannons
[/enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Lighthouse
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Desert of the Fervent
*1 Detection Tower
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Inventors’ Fair
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Scrying Sheets
*1 Smoldering Crater
*26 Snow-Covered Mountain
*1 Spinerock Knoll
*1 Zoetic Cavern
[/lands]"></span></div></p>

<hr />
<p>So what do you all think of Kiki-Jiki in the command zone? Is there fun to be had with this general or should he be left to other formats? How would you build this deck? Let me know in the comments below! Now that the deck building is finished, we can answer the most important question:</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/kiki.gif"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-36922 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/kiki.gif" alt="" width="500" height="281" /></a></p>
<p>Remember to EDHREC responsibly: always dig a little beyond the statistics. Have a good one, and I’ll see you on down the road.</p>


Monomania — Smash and Grab

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive" href="#" target="_blank">Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.vargasni.com/">Randy Vargas</a>)</h6>
<h1>A Quick, Clean Kill</h1>
<p>They cannot keep us apart, beloved Commander faithful! No matter what they do, no matter what they say, I will always come back to you! For our love is not ordinary: it is quite...UNCOMMON!</p>
<p>Bad introductory jokes aside, welcome to this week's edition of <em>Uncommonders</em>, the series that explores underappreciated commanders printed at the uncommon level. I am going to preface this article with a bit of a revelation. Often with this series, I will stare blankly at the <em>Uncommonder</em> I am going to write about and pick up little details, make a list of possible deck ideas or archetypes, and eventually pick one or two for the article and run with it. This week was not that easy. I struggled to find a good, unique way to build this deck. In the end, I decided to buckle down and say that if I could not make it super unique or "out there", I would simply build it to the commander's strength to the best of my ability in an effort to make the deck as mean as possible. Naturally, I expect you to be curious which uncommon legendary creature we are looking at today, so without further ado, today we are talking about...</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive"></div></div></p>
<p>Before we talk about the deck and the cards in it, I do want to point out some of the ideas I looked into and ultimately was dissatisfied with. First, I wanted to build a more aggressive deck and looked up all the blue and colorless creatures that had a toughness of 1 but a power of 2 or more. This would mean that the creatures would be able to slip by with Tetsuko's ability but deal more damage than creatures with low toughness normally do. Unfortunately, for this idea, the two top cards Scryfall gave me were <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snapcaster Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Snapcaster Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metallic Mimic" href="#" target="_blank">Metallic Mimic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which turned me off the idea almost immediately. While looking at this list, I did notice a number of Faeries, some of which were Wizards and some of which were Rogues, and I considered some kind of tribal theme, either with Faeries or Rogues, but those searches did not inspire me much, either. They were especially lackluster when adding the requirement to have either power or toughness equal to 1, so I toyed around with another couple of ideas (there are sadly not enough Ninjas with power or toughness equal to 1 in mono-blue) and threw up my hands thinking "fine, I will just have to be the meanest person at the table with this!"</p>
<p>When thinking about "what is the meanest thing to do with unblockable, small creatures in mono-blue" I eventually settled on what Tetsuko already does very well:</p>
<p><em>Infect.</em></p>
<p>That may sound crazy, as there are only six creatures with the <em>Infect</em> ability in mono-blue with power or toughness equal to 1. However, four of those creatures are artifacts, and blue is pretty good at making duplicates of their creatures and their artifacts, so I decided to double down on my idea and <em>Infect</em> the table out. Also, blue is one half of the normal color combination that deals with counter manipulation, so <em>Proliferate</em> shenanigans are not hard to come by for the deck. One poison counter can quickly become fatal in most scenarios, so all we need to do is get the party started with these smaller creatures.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">A Pinprick of Poison</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Plague Myr"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Viral Drake"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ichorclaw Myr"></div></div></p>
<p>In addition to the three cards shown above, the other three main <em>Infect</em> cards are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blighted Agent" href="#" target="_blank">Blighted Agent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necropede" href="#" target="_blank">Necropede</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Digester" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Digester</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There are other <em>Infect</em> sources in the deck and some with interesting roles to play (like recursion on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpse Cur" href="#" target="_blank">Corpse Cur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the sometimes-creature <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inkmoth Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">Inkmoth Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) but I want to focus on some of the other supportive cards for our endgame of infecting the entire table.</p>
<p>With <em>War of the Spark</em>, blue got some interesting new cards for <em>Infect</em> wins with new sources of <em>Proliferate</em>. Naturally, these cards were intended to pump up Standard-legal planeswalkers, but I'll take a win where I can find one! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guildpact Informant" href="#" target="_blank">Guildpact Informant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> feels like a variant of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrummingbird" href="#" target="_blank">Thrummingbird</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flux Channeler" href="#" target="_blank">Flux Channeler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can get out of control quickly if we have some card advantage cantrips or just a grip filled with counterspells. Speaking of cantrips, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Contentious Plan" href="#" target="_blank">Contentious Plan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fun new inclusion. Finally, the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn&#039;s Bastion" href="#" target="_blank">Karn&#039;s Bastion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a repeatable effect similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viral Drake" href="#" target="_blank">Viral Drake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Of all these new cards, the one I struggled the most with did not come from <em>War of the Spark</em> but from <em>Modern Horizons</em>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Truth and Justice" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Truth and Justice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a continuation of the iconic 'Sword of X and Y' cycle and helps get us where we want to be. Unfortunately, there are two major drawbacks to the card with our strategy. For starters, we normally do not want to put +1/+1 counters on our creatures because we need to keep either their power or toughness low enough for Tetsuko to help them remain unblockable. Second, the Sword itself gives the creature holding it +2/+2, meaning even if we put it on a 1/1 body, it definitely is not going to remain unblockable as a 3/3. In the end, I decided to include the Sword because we simply needed more <em>Proliferate</em> abilities, and hopefully the added protection the sword provides can assist with keeping the creature difficult to block. Even if the Sword-wielding creature only hits once or twice, it will also work as a diversionary target, making our opponents want to get rid of it and maybe ignoring some of our other pieces on the table.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Colorless and Deadly</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Contagion Engine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krark-Clan Ironworks"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Myr Retriever"></div></div></p>
<p>I have recently reignited my love for artifact decks, having built a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teshar, Ancestor&#039;s Apostle" href="#" target="_blank">Teshar, Ancestor&#039;s Apostle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck for my 3DH streams. Noticing that four of our six main <em>Infect</em> cards are artifacts and that some of our main synergy pieces were also artifacts (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Contagion Clasp" href="#" target="_blank">Contagion Clasp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Contagion Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Contagion Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), I decided to dive into some colorless shenanigans to round out the deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krark-Clan Ironworks" href="#" target="_blank">Krark-Clan Ironworks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been dropping in price since the Modern ban and is basically a better <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for our deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, the Ineffable" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, the Ineffable</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes many of our artifacts free. I like the idea of having recursion options for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meteor Golem" href="#" target="_blank">Meteor Golem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to strengthen our removal suite for things like artifacts and enchantments. Thopters and Myrs mostly come in the forms of 1/1 bodies, so <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sharding Sphinx" href="#" target="_blank">Sharding Sphinx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a walking army in the making, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sai, Master Thopterist" href="#" target="_blank">Sai, Master Thopterist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can get that army started just by casting some artifacts.</p>
<p>With all of this synergy, we are going to need to support it with as much ramp as blue can manage, card advantage galore, some Wraths and removal, to ultimately get a list that looks like this:</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Tainted Blade of Umezawa" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Blighted Agent
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Core Prowler
*1 Corpse Cur
*1 Eternal of Harsh Truths
*1 Flux Channeler
*1 Guildpact Informant
*1 Ichorclaw Myr
*1 Junk Diver
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Mist-Syndicate Naga
*1 Mistblade Shinobi
*1 Myr Retriever
*1 Necropede
*1 Neurok Commando
*1 Nimble Obstructionist
*1 Phyrexian Digester
*1 Pilgrim&#039;s Eye
*1 Plague Myr
*1 Sai, Master Thopterist
*1 Scrap Trawler
*1 Scroll Thief
*1 Sharding Sphinx
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Tandem Lookout
*1 Thrumming Bird
*1 Tribute Mage
*1 Trophy Mage
*1 Viral Drake
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*1 Bident of Thassa
*1 Blinkmoth Urn
*1 Contagion Clasp
*1 Contagion Engine
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Krark-Clan Ironworks
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mirrorworks
*1 Ovalchase Dragster
*1 Sapphire Medallion
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Sword of Truth and Justice
*1 Throne of Geth
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Disallow
*1 Pongify
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Swan Song
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*1 Contentious Plan
*1 Notorious Throng
*1 Saheeli&#039;s Artistry
*1 Stolen Identity
*1 Tezzeret&#039;s Gambit
[/Sorcery]
[Enchantment]
*1 Coastal Piracy
*1 Inexorable Tide
[/Enchantment]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Tezzeret the Seeker
*1 Ugin the Ineffable
[/Planeswalker]
[Land]
*1 Academy Ruins
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Desert of the Mindful
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Inkmoth Nexus
*1 Inventors&#039; Fair
*23 Island
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Lonely Sandbar
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Remote Isle
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Strip Mine
[/Land]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<p>The last article about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boris Devilboon" href="#" target="_blank">Boris Devilboon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was a little on the unorthodox side, even for me. I have to admit, I was slightly worried about how it would be received by you, the readers, breaking so far away from the commander and those printed abilities to do something as janky as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana&#039;s Contract" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana&#039;s Contract</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Still, there were some cool comments, like this one by regular commenter Cyberium! They wrote:</p>
<blockquote><p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Choice of Damnations" href="#" target="_blank">Choice of Damnations</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is oddly fitting here. In addition to chaotic effects, I love forcing opponent to make a decision, that's something a demon would do.<br />
Slightly off topic: Given the new expansion is Throne of Eldraine, with a royalty-ish feel, perhaps the Round Table deck could be revisited.</p></blockquote>
<p>I cannot begin to tell you how many of the decks I make for EDHREC articles are listed in the "go back and update now that new, cool cards have come out since writing those articles" mental list I keep! Actually, maybe I can: almost all of them! Honestly, I am the kind of deck brewer that is never truly satisfied with a deck. <em>Wizards of the Coast </em>comes out with so many new awesome cards in each set, I find it impossible to ever stop tweaking and tuning decks, trying to hit that sweet spot where they feel perfect. I even look back at my favorite, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and constantly think about adjustments to make the deck faster, more consistent and meaner.</p>
<p>Of course, if you like how mean I can be when tossing cardboard around a kitchen table (or sometimes online) then make sure you are <a href="https://www.twitter.com/DM_Cross">following me on Twitter</a> to talk about all things <em>Magic: the Gathering</em>! You can also join the public <a href="https://discord.gg/CrNHmTE">Praetor Magic Discord server</a> to talk to me there daily, not to mention see our awesome gameplay videos on our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/praetormagic">YouTube channel</a>! We also have a podcast called Reflections of the Council; new episodes are posted every Thursday after we record them on YouTube at 9 PM EST, so search "Praetor Magic" or "Reflections of the Council" on your favorite podcast platform to find us! And until next time, remember...</p>
<p>Drop bombs and <em>Infect</em> the table!</p>


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