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<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>


Uncommonders - Umezawa's Tainted Blade

Mechanically Minded - Snow

Ranking Every Land with EDHREC - Part 8: Do Not Collect DEBT

The Knowledge Pool - Karlov of the Ghost Council

Mind Bend - Azorius Ping

The Toolbox - Cryptbreaker

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Empyrian Eagle" href="#" target="_blank">Empyrian Eagle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.jaestudio.com/">Jason A. Engle</a>)</h6>
<h1>The Bird is the Word!</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome back to another exciting edition of <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>, where I highlight the hyper-underplayed cards on EDHREC in 300 decks or less. This week's topic is all thanks to a recent visit to my LGS. A fellow patron was talking about their Esper Commander deck led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sharuum the Hegemon" href="#" target="_blank">Sharuum the Hegemon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and its Bird subtheme. He said that he would much rather just play Azorius with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kangee, Aerie Keeper" href="#" target="_blank">Kangee, Aerie Keeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but thought there wasn't enough support for a tribal Commander deck. I don't think he knew who he was talking to....</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kangee, Aerie Keeper"></div></div>
<p>There are a few different things going on here with Kangee. Obviously, we're going to want to aim for Bird tribal, relying on some little-played gems to bring in some fun abilities. But there's also the use of feather counters to increase Kangee's avian buff. Turns out, there are a fair number of Bird-related cards that relate to counters. While most "counters matter" cards see way too much play to earn a spot in my articles (I'm looking at you, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrummingbird" href="#" target="_blank">Thrummingbird</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), there are a few below that could use some extra love from deckbuilders. But first, let's get into those that help the tribe.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Birds of a Feather</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soraya, the Falconer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Keeper of the Nine Gales"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crookclaw Elder"></div></div>
<p>First up, we have the original Bird lord, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soraya, the Falconer" href="#" target="_blank">Soraya, the Falconer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (215 decks). Since <em>Homelands</em>, she's been retconned to effect all Birds and not just Falcons. While I totally recognize that <em>Banding</em> is usually to be avoided like the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pox" href="#" target="_blank">plague</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the intent here is to use her solely for the buff with the activated ability there only for those brave enough to travel back to 1995. Some of you may say that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Favorable Winds" href="#" target="_blank">Favorable Winds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a better return on investment here, and you're probably right, but I like the flavor associated with Soraya, and I tend to prefer creature-based effects in tribal decks.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Keeper of the Nine Gales" href="#" target="_blank">Keeper of the Nine Gales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a pretty good impression of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tradewind Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Tradewind Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, especially in a Bird tribal deck. There are a fair number of Bird token makers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Migratory Route" href="#" target="_blank">Migratory Route</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle Screech" href="#" target="_blank">Battle Screech</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so having some spare 1/1s around to help activate the Keeper's ability shouldn't be a problem. Access to white generally makes bounce and counter strategies less the "last resort" in Azorius decks, as white can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saltblast" href="#" target="_blank">blow up almost anything</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. But with the tribal restrictions and a lack of creatures that offer repeatable removal, this is a nice addition. The Keeper sees play currently in 297 decks.</p>
<p>Also from <em>Legions</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crookclaw Elder" href="#" target="_blank">Crookclaw Elder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> bridges the gap between the Bird and Wizard tribes, and sees play in 266 decks. The card draw option using your leftover Bird blockers is a great way to refuel your hand. This seems to be something that Birds are generally good at doing, whether through <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Airborne Aid" href="#" target="_blank">Airborne Aid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seaside Haven" href="#" target="_blank">Seaside Haven</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I generally expect a full grip from this deck on any given turn. Also of note, there are enough Wizards in this deck to make the other ability possible, though with all of your creatures already in the air, it's more of a political tool to help opponents.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glarecaster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skymark Roc"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sawtooth Loon"></div></div>
<p>Next up, we have some of the oft-neglected Birds themselves, and first on that list is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glarecaster" href="#" target="_blank">Glarecaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Currently in 218 decks on EDHREC, this birdie is the master of redirecting damage. While the ability is a little costly, the effect on the game can be quite significant. This is especially true when you're redirecting commander damage with a Voltron deck at the table. Based on the wording of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glarecaster" href="#" target="_blank">Glarecaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the damage isn't filtered through anything on redirect, and would still count toward reaching the magical 21 damage for your opponents.</p>
<p>As with most tribal decks, this one is going to care about attacking often, so adding in Birds that trigger effects when they enter combat seems appropriate. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skymark Roc" href="#" target="_blank">Skymark Roc</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is just such a card with a useful effect. On attack, it can remove a chump blocker from a single combat, or shred a small token on the battlefield. It's in a reasonable 192 decks right now, as this kind of effect isn't very strong on it's own, but exactly what we're looking for in a Bird.</p>
<p>I've talked about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sawtooth Loon" href="#" target="_blank">Sawtooth Loon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> before when building <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/forgotten-harvest-dromars-bounce-house/"><em>Dromar's Bounce House</em></a>, so you should already be familiar with its hand-filtering effect. Once again, it functions as another solid Bird with a good effect to add to the list. It's still neglected, in only 164 decks. Another Bird of note that helps with draw is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raven Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Raven Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <em>Urza's Legacy</em> (275 decks). One of the few blue cards with <em>Echo</em>, it's just one more toolbox Bird able to provide access to options.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Fly Like an Eagle</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Empyrean Eagle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unsettled Mariner"></div></div>
<p>Not all of our pro-Bird cards are going to care about creature type. Some only care that the creatures have wings. For instance, <em>Core Set 2020's</em> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Empyrean Eagle" href="#" target="_blank">Empyrean Eagle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> buffs all of our flyers for a very good rate. As the set is still fairly new, the Eagle only sees play in 59 decks right now, but I expect this number to climb swiftly! I think <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kykar, Wind&#039;s Fury" href="#" target="_blank">Kykar, Wind&#039;s Fury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wouldn't mind the inclusion of this Eagle.</p>
<p>Also from <em>Core Set 2020</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides some much needed protection for our winged friends. This will come in handy during a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Supreme Verdict" href="#" target="_blank">Supreme Verdict</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for sure. She's also a great basher in her own right, adding some much-needed power to the field. Again, as <em>Core Set 2020</em> is still new, she only sees play in 217 decks at the moment. I'm less certain of her future, however, as she feels more like a part of the 99 than a commander. Maybe I can give her a deck of her own in a future article.</p>
<p>Then there's one of my favorite cards from <em>Modern Masters</em>: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unsettled Mariner" href="#" target="_blank">Unsettled Mariner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Seeing play in a measly 212 decks, this card is definitely in much need of some love. What I like most about the Mariner is that it specifies all permanents you control, not just creatures. That means that your opponent's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aura of Silence" href="#" target="_blank">Aura of Silence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is going to cost a little more when trying to blow up your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cryptic Gateway" href="#" target="_blank">Cryptic Gateway</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Plus the card fits into any tribal-themed deck! Seriously, those playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sygg, River Guide" href="#" target="_blank">Sygg, River Guide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> need to update their decklists.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Don't Counter Your Chickens Before They Hatch!</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aetherstorm Roc"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jötun Owl Keeper"></div></div>
<p>As I said above, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kangee, Aerie Keeper" href="#" target="_blank">Kangee</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> not only has love for the feathered friends but can also play into counter synergies as well. I've included cards like <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> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tezzeret&#039;s Gambit" href="#" target="_blank">Tezzeret&#039;s Gambit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to help <em>Proliferate</em> Kangee's feather counters. There're also Birds like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Sentinels of Arashin" href="#" target="_blank">High Sentinels of Arashin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and tribal cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soulcatchers&#039; Aerie" href="#" target="_blank">Soulcatchers&#039; Aerie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that love counters.</p>
<p>Another underplayed Bird that likes counters, this time of the energy variety, is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherstorm Roc" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherstorm Roc</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Played in 270 decks, the Roc builds up energy whenever a creature hits the field on your side, then turns that energy into a +1/+1 counter and removal of a blocker on an attack. Referring to two different kinds of counters, this Bird definitely benefits from <em>Proliferate</em> effects.</p>
<p>Finally, providing some unexpected counter synergy, is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jötun Owl Keeper" href="#" target="_blank">Jötun Owl Keeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (166 decks). One of my favorite cards from <em>Coldsnap</em>, the Owl Keeper builds up age counters using its <em>Cumulative Upkeep</em> trigger, and upon its death, gives you a Bird for each counter. While <em>Cumulative Upkeep</em> isn't very fun outside of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Braid of Fire" href="#" target="_blank">Braid of Fire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, combining with <em>Proliferate</em> can help<em> </em>squeeze the most Bird tokens out of the card before its demise.</p>
<p>Alright, here's the deck!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Kangee Bird Tribal" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kangee, Aerie Keeper
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Metallic Mimic
*1 Mindshrieker
*1 Pride of the Clouds
*1 Soulcatcher
*1 Thrummingbird
*1 Unsettled Mariner
*1 Adaptive Automaton
*1 Aven Mimeomancer
*1 Aven Mindcensor
*1 Cloudchaser Kestrel
*1 Empyrean Eagle
*1 Jotun Owl Keeper
*1 Keeper of the Nine Gales
*1 Lieutenant Kirtar
*1 Mirror Entity
*1 Nimble Obstructionist
*1 Raven Familiar
*1 Soraya, the Falconer
*1 Warden of Evos Isle
*1 Aetherstorm Roc
*1 Commander Eesha
*1 Emeria Angel
*1 High Sentinels of Arashin
*1 Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker
*1 Sawtooth Loon
*1 Skymark Roc
*1 Thieving Magpie
*1 Coveted Peacock
*1 Gustcloak Savior
*1 Wingmate Roc
*1 Crookclaw Elder
*1 Glarecaster
*1 Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Mirrorweave
*1 Ojutai&#039;s Command
*1 Return to Dust
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Contentious Plan
*1 Harsh Mercy
*1 Airborne Aid
*1 Battle Screech
*1 Supreme Verdict
*1 Tezzeret&#039;s Gambit
*1 Migratory Route
*1 Austere Command
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Azorius Keyrune
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Urza&#039;s Incubator
*1 Worn Powerstone
*1 Door of Destinies
*1 Cryptic Gateway
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Soulcatchers&#039; Aerie
*1 Leyline of Anticipation
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Command Tower
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Seachrome Coast
*1 Seaside Haven
*1 Windbrisk Heights
*13 Island
*17 Plains
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Gotta Fly!</h2>
<p>Well that about does it for this bird-brained deck on <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>. Unleash your questions, comments, and snide remarks in the comments section below. I'll be on there to talk about how just how far the mighty dinosaur hath fallen, and to convince you to play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unsettled Mariner" href="#" target="_blank">Unsettled Mariner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as often as possible! Let me know if you have any hyper-underplayed tribes that you think need some more love. Or, for that matter, any generally hyper-underplayed cards and strategies that you'd like me to talk about. I love suggestions from readers! See you all in two weeks.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/maxresdefault.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-36466" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/maxresdefault.jpg" alt="" width="546" height="307" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


Forgotten Harvest - Kangee Bird Tribal

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rienne, Angel of Rebirth" href="#" target="_blank">Rienne, Angel of Rebirth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.kieranyanner.com/">Kieran Yanner</a>)</h6>
<h1>Another Day, Another Rebirth</h1>
<p>Hello, everyone! Welcome back to another installment of the <em>Underdog’s Corner!</em> If you haven't joined me before, this is where I discuss a commander that may be overlooked or underplayed and shine a spotlight on them to give them a fighting chance. This week I'm delving into one of the legends from <em>Core Set</em> <em>2020!</em> We received an entire cycle of new wedge-colored legendary creatures, which is incredibly exciting!</p>
<p>However, I'm not looking to discuss any of those five. Our legend today is the lone shard-colored commander from the set, the Buy-a-Box promo, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rienne, Angel of Rebirth" href="#" target="_blank">Rienne, Angel of Rebirth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! With a total of 39 decks at the time of writing, Rienne stands above only <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atemsis, All-Seeing" href="#" target="_blank">Atemsis, All-Seeing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drakuseth, Maw of Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Drakuseth, Maw of Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> among the twelve legends of <em>Core Set 2020</em>. Let's see what Rienne's all about.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rienne, Angel of Rebirth</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rienne, Angel of Rebirth"></div></div>
<p>While the <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/limited-information/tools-trade-2015-06-17">Vanilla Test</a> is hardly a way to evaluate a commander, it's still helpful as a survivability metric. Rienne passes it with flying colors as a five-mana 5/4 flyer, giving us a powerful attacker and blocker when the need arises. I consider five mana to be the bottom of the curve for expensive commanders, but since Rienne has green in her color identity, we should be able to play her multiple times in a game without worry. We'll actually be able to double down on this with her abilities.</p>
<h4><strong>Other multicolored creatures you control get +1/+0.</strong></h4>
<h4><strong>Whenever another multicolored creature you control dies, return it to its owner’s hand at the beginning of the next end step.</strong></h4>
<p>Rienne cares about multicolored creatures through and through, which gives us a direction and a restriction at the same time. One avenue we could explore is leaning into her as an additional anthem-lite effect for an aggro build. Her second ability could then be a safety net for the eventual Wrath that snuffs out aggro's chances. A decent direction, but not the one we're exploring today. I'm personally going to look into how we can get the most out of her second ability.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Not Quite Necromancy</h2>
<p>How can Rienne's colors help us? While she lacks the most prominent and powerful color for recursion, green and white are the second and third best colors for recurring creatures from the graveyard, even if it's to our hand. We'll also need to remember that Rienne's specific brand of recursion is limited to multicolored creatures.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Painter&#039;s Servant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scuttlemutt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saffi Eriksdotter"></div></div>
<p>If we want a janky angle, we can include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scuttlemutt" href="#" target="_blank">Scuttlemutt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or the recently-unbanned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Painter&#039;s Servant" href="#" target="_blank">Painter&#039;s Servant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to have the opportunity to recur all of our creatures. That's not going to be consistent, so we won't want to rely heavily on that.</p>
<p>Let's therefore discuss a card that is simply perfect for Rienne. I've talked about a <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> deck in my series <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/underdogs-corner-saffi-eriksdotter/">before</a>, but she is more often played in the 99, either as a combo enabler or as a powerful support piece. For two mana, we can recur any creature on the battlefield if it dies at the cost of sacrificing Saffi. This can be a protective measure or a means to accelerate value, depending on our board state. We can even protect Rienne with this ability and still return Saffi at our end step.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Stay Gold</h2>
<p>With Rienne's focus on multicolored creatures, we're starting with a broad spectrum of choices. We can choose to run the best overall multicolored creatures we have access to, or we can pick a theme and focus on it. Cards in either direction will overlap, but it gives us direction. For this article, I'm going to focus on a "value" build, namely creatures with "enters/leaves the battlefield" abilities or those with self-sacrifice effects. We'll want to double up on these abilities.</p>
<p>Rienne's EDHREC page gives us a nice head start on this venture.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dauntless Escort"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Loxodon Hierarch"></div></div>
<p>First up we have a suite of protection for our creatures. Returning our creatures en masse is a great boon, but sometimes we don't want to be hit by that tempo disadvantage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dauntless Escort" href="#" target="_blank">Dauntless Escort</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Loxodon Hierarch" href="#" target="_blank">Loxodon Hierarch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ask our opponents to either remove them before casting a Wrath, or to have a Wrath effect that circumvents their protection. For a creature-heavy build, I think these will be mainstays.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Qasali Pridemage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Knight of Autumn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Duergar Hedge-Mage"></div></div>
<p>Remember when I said we were going to bring the value? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Qasali Pridemage" href="#" target="_blank">Qasali Pridemage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight of Autumn" href="#" target="_blank">Knight of Autumn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Duergar Hedge-Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Duergar Hedge-Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harmonic Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Harmonic Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vithian Renegades" href="#" target="_blank">Vithian Renegades</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all give us access to sources of repeatable removal for a total cost of three mana each. Having access to artifact and enchantment removal is never a bad thing. While the rate may not be exceptional, we'll have ways to make each of these count.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodbraid Elf"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zacama, Primal Calamity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gruul Ragebeast"></div></div>
<p>We also have access to impactful effects that we will want to repeat over and over. While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodbraid Elf" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodbraid Elf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't as powerful in Commander as it is in Modern, being able to get a four-mana <em>Cascade</em> each turn will help us turn the corner and pull off a victory. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zacama, Primal Calamity" href="#" target="_blank">Zacama, Primal Calamity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn't immediately strike me as a card we'd want to spend each of our turns recasting, but the longer a game runs, the more powerful Zacama's ability becomes. Casting Zacama with lands that create more than one mana can also provide us with a net gain on mana, turning the card into a very expensive ritual which can help fuel massively swingy turns. Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gruul Ragebeast" href="#" target="_blank">Gruul Ragebeast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns each of our creatures into potential kill spells. With Rienne out, not only can we throw our creatures into battle immediately just to get them back, but her buffing ability also allows them to punch above their weight class.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Digging for Gold</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolutionary Leap"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Greater Good"></div></div>
<p>Since our gameplan is to proactively recur our creatures, we'll need sacrifice outlets. For the most part, we can get away with running some of the usual suspects, but there are a few I'd prioritize. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Greater Good" href="#" target="_blank">Greater Good</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the first I'll mention since it lets us draw through our deck. Notably, we get a small bump from Rienne's ability as we get to draw an additional card from the power boost. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolutionary Leap" href="#" target="_blank">Evolutionary Leap</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a mainstay in almost every green deck I have, and it's even better here. We get to recast creatures for more value, and we get to draw another creature to loop.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark-Dweller Oracle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Birthing Pod"></div></div>
<p><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> is a bit of an outlier, but additional sac outlets that don't have obvious homes is something that I look for. After that, we have the ever-powerful <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Birthing Pod" href="#" target="_blank">Birthing Pod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Yes, I would like to have access to several chains at any given point.</p>
<hr />
<h2>A Magic Goldberg Machine</h2>
<p>I want to talk about a pair of cards that currently appears in zero <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rienne, Angel of Rebirth" href="#" target="_blank">Rienne, Angel of Rebirth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The first is fun, and the second is more powerful.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Desecrated Tomb"></div></div>
<p>I've always wanted to find a home for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Desecrated Tomb" href="#" target="_blank">Desecrated Tomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and out of sheer luck, Rienne happens to work spectacularly with it. Thankfully, Rienne triggers for each creature, so we get a Bat token for each creature that gets returned by her ability. That's not the most impactful effect in the world, but being able to potentially churn out several tokens for free each turn is certainly noteworthy.</p>
<p>Now let's talk about the powerhouse pick for the article.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aluren"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aluren" href="#" target="_blank">Aluren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the more powerful cards in <em>Magic</em>, and it even has an entire Legacy deck named after it. It allows each player to cast creatures with a converted mana cost of three or less without paying their mana costs, and as though they had flash! With Rienne and a sac outlet, we can cast and recur each of our low-drop gold creatures once a turn. That's insanely powerful.</p>
<p>On the low end of power we can cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight of Autumn" href="#" target="_blank">Knight of Autumn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and gain 16 life each round. We could also sacrifice Saffi each turn to recur a creature that is much larger. Since we're also still casting creatures with this effect, we can trigger <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karametra, God of Harvests" href="#" target="_blank">Karametra, God of Harvests</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beast Whisperer" href="#" target="_blank">Beast Whisperer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that many times as well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aluren" href="#" target="_blank">Aluren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> opens up an absurd number of lines that players can customize.</p>
<p>One thing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aluren" href="#" target="_blank">Aluren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> shows us as well is the power of flash in this deck. Repeated effects are powerful, but getting them outside of our turn is even better, turning our creature-based, normally-sorcery-speed-only deck into a trickier problem for our enemies. This makes cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald" href="#" target="_blank">Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vedalken Orrery" href="#" target="_blank">Vedalken Orrery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivien, Champion of the Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Vivien, Champion of the Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a little more potent in our deck.</p>
<p>Aluren isn't the only crazy interaction we get to include though.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Realm Razer"></div></div>
<p>Let me summarize the following section, briefly. If this card's ETB resolves with Rienne and a sacrifice outlet on board, and our opponents are not able to remove any of the pieces with their floating mana, the game will effectively end. They can attempt to fight through it, but it will be mostly miserable. This is assuming that we (as the Rienne player) won't die to effects that are already on board.</p>
<p>When <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Realm Razer" href="#" target="_blank">Realm Razer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> enters the battlefield, it exiles all lands. Everyone's mana production is then tied to any mana rocks that are left in play (which we'll hopefully have been targeting with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight of Autumn" href="#" target="_blank">Knight of Autumn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects over the earlier parts of the game). If Realm Razer resolves, the remainder of the game will follow a similar pattern. When we gain priority before moving to the end step of the opponent's turn prior to ours, we sacrifice Realm Razer to whatever sac outlet we have. This returns all exiled lands to the battlefield tapped. At the beginning of the end step, Rienne will return Realm Razer to our hand. We will then untap, with all of our opponents being tapped out, aside from any lands they played on their turn. We can then repeat this loop every turn. We can attack with Rienne each turn to deal lethal commander damage over the course of the next several turns, or we can continue to draw into other cards to hasten this kill condition. While it's not quite infinite, this combo is very likely to end the game.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Naya Reborn</h2>
<p>I hope you have enjoyed a brief look at this incredibly intriguing Naya commander. While she quickly got overlooked in the face of an entire new cycle of wedge-colored legends, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rienne, Angel of Rebirth" href="#" target="_blank">Rienne, Angel of Rebirth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> offers a novel way to approach her color combination. While I covered a few distinct interactions and cards, there is still so much left to be discovered, and I hope someone out in the world dives in and really discovers all of what can make her great. For now though, I leave you with a deck with a few of my ideas.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Giving Naya New Life" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rienne, Angel of Rebirth
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Armada Wurm
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Bloodbraid Elf
*1 Brion Stoutarm
*1 Dark-Dweller Oracle
*1 Dauntless Escort
*1 Duergar Hedge-Mage
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Figure of Destiny
*1 Fleecemane Lion
*1 Gahiji, Honored One
*1 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
*1 Gruul Ragebeast
*1 Harmonic Sliver
*1 Karametra, God of Harvests
*1 Karmic Guide
*1 Knight of Autumn
*1 Loxodon Hierarch
*1 Painter&#039;s Servant
*1 Qasali Pridemage
*1 Ravager Wurm
*1 Realm Razer
*1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
*1 Saffi Eriksdotter
*1 Scuttlemutt
*1 Seedborn Muse
*1 Sunder Shaman
*1 Vithian Renegades
*1 Voice of Resurgence
*1 Wild Cantor
*1 Xenagos, God of Revels
*1 Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald
*1 Zacama, Primal Calamity
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*1 Altar of Dementia
*1Desecrated Tomb
*1 Glass of the Guildpact
*1 Vedalken Orrery
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Brought Back
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Krosan Grip
*1 Naya Charm
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
[/Instant]
[Enchantment]
*1 Aluren
*1 Evolutionary Leap
*1 Goblin Bombardment
*1 Greater Good
*1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
*1 Wilderness Reclamation
[/Enchantment]
[Sorcery]
*1 Austere Command
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Cleansing Nova
*1 Cultivate
*1 Farseek
*1 Hour of Devastation
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Skyshroud Claim
[/Sorcery]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Domri, Anarch of Bolas
*1 Vivien, Champion of the Wilds
[/Planeswalker]
[Land]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Emergence Zone
*8 Forest
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Jungle Shrine
*1 Karplusan Forest
*1 Kessig Wolf Run
*6 Mountain
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*5 Plains
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Spire Garden
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>Thanks for joining me in the <em>Underdog's Corner</em>!</p>


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