The Toolbox - River's Rebuke

Ranking Every Land with EDHREC - Part 5: Don't Look Behind the Curtain!

Modern Horizons Set Review — White

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/kwende-pride-of-femeref">Kwende, Pride of Femeref</a> | Art by <a href="https://daarken.com/shop/">Daarken</a>)</h6>
<h1>Dominaria Returns! ...Sorta</h1>
<p>Hello everyone, and welcome back to another installment of the <em>Underdog's</em> <em>Corner!</em> Here we highlight the legendary creatures who haven't gotten enough love from the player base at large. I've been looking through previous sets, scouring EDHREC pages, and digging through the data for a new legend to bring to the ring. This week, while we wait for those juicy <em>Modern Horizons </em>numbers to roll in, we're going back to <em>Dominaria. </em></p>
<p>If you're a newer player to EDH, <em>Dominaria</em> produced nearly 5% of currently existing legendary creatures that are legal in Commander. I've described a phenomenon in the past where each set has a finite amount of "creative capitol" that players are willing to spend. Normally this isn't an issue, since sets usually have few legendary creatures, so creative players flock to them. However, when there are 46 legends in a single set, as with <em>Dominaria, </em>players just don't have enough creative capitol to spend on all of those potential commanders, which means some great legends get left behind. For this week, I'm bringing you a mono-white legend who I think is more powerful than his text leads on.</p>
<h2>Kwende, Pride of Femeref</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kwende, Pride of Femeref"></div></div>
<p>Kwende has about as simple of an effect as a commander can possess: all of our creatures with first strike now have double strike. Very simple. However, "simple" doesn't preclude "powerful." <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/author/dean-gootee/">Dean Gootee</a> has been a big advocate for the underrated power of vigilance in Commander, and I'm going to be an advocate for the power of first and double strike.</p>
<p>Combat often gets a bad reputation in Commander, and it isn't difficult to understand why. The typical criticism points out that dealing a total of 120 damage to your three opponents is incredibly difficult. Some will resort instead to non-combative methods of victory, such as combos, to secure the game instead.</p>
<p>With that said, you know what also makes things difficult? First strike. Who does it make things difficult for? Your opponent. They're either forced to over-commit blockers to deal with one of your annoying creatures, or else just chump block. Or, in the event they attempt to attack you with a big creature, you can just multi-block that creature with some first strikers, who will take it down before it gets the chance to hurt you. This gets exacerbated when first strike becomes double strike.</p>
<p>So if we're in mono-white and we like abusing combat keywords, why pick Kwende over <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Odric, Lunarch Marshal" href="#" target="_blank">Odric, Lunarch Marshal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Odric, Lunarch Marshal"></div></div>
<p>In a vacuum, Kwende will give the majority of our deck double strike. Odric can give everyone double strike, as well as any other evergreen keyword on creatures we control. So why Kwende? Well, I think he provides a slightly more focused build.</p>
<p>Looking through <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/odric-lunarch-marshal">Odric's EDHREC page</a>, we see him at the helm of an archetype often labeled as "keyword soup," which looks to amass as many potential keywords as possible across our creatures. Among his top three Signature Cards, there are seven different keywords. If we keep scrolling down his page, that remains a common theme. Without Odric, there isn't much to bind the deck together. There's a smattering of Human tribal and an Equipment subtheme, but he's very scattered. If Odric's removed from the field, the board falls into a lot of disparate directions.</p>
<p>This is where I think Kwende sets himself apart. Kwende is an enabler in the command zone, like Odric. On the board, we will have a great deal of double strike to pump our army up. Even without him, though, we'll still have an army with first strike, and thus a more unified vision. We can push our subthemes to stretch the power of that keyword in combat.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Strike First and True</h2>
<p>According to <a href="https://scryfall.com/">Scryfall</a>, there are currently 211 cards with a white color identity that have first strike, 158 of which are creatures. We actually have a deep pool of cards to work with, but we'll need to filter out the chaff. Luckily for us, the EDHREC filter helps us do that easily.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thalia, Heretic Cathar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Knight of the White Orchid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thalia&#039;s Lancers"></div></div>
<p>These form a core of white staples that are just "good" cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia, Heretic Cathar" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia, Heretic Cathar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will slow down our opponents and be a general nuisance. For a deck that will want to swing at opponents quite often, postponing land drops and creatures even a turn can work greatly in our favor. Speaking of land drops, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight of the White Orchid" href="#" target="_blank">Knight of the White Orchid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a first striker that also ramps us. That's good enough for me. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia&#039;s Lancers" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia&#039;s Lancers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will let us tutor any legendary permanent while also being a 4/4 first striker. I won't lie, in mono-white it'll be hard not to immediately grab <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite" href="#" target="_blank">Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make combat literally impossible for our opponents.</p>
<p>I know it shows up in 68% of Kwende decks, but I think we actually don't want many effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archetype of Courage" href="#" target="_blank">Archetype of Courage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Removing enemy first strike won't come up very often, and most of our cards should naturally have first strike already, which makes the Archetype redundant. Only a few regular strikers will be included just for the raw power of their other abilities.</p>
<p>Since we want to attack opponents, we need ways to defend ourselves from the crack back. Luckily, white is amazing at giving our team vigilance.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akroma&#039;s Memorial"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brave the Sands"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unbreakable Formation"></div></div>
<p>It might be a bit cheeky to put <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma&#039;s Memorial" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma&#039;s Memorial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> under the banner of "vigilance anthem," but it still is one. One of the strongest global team buffs in EDH, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma&#039;s Memorial" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma&#039;s Memorial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns our creatures into absolute monsters in combat. It also lets them dodge damage-based Wraths from red's side of the color pie, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This is a strong choice, but yes, it's more of a finisher than a defensive play.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brave the Sands" href="#" target="_blank">Brave the Sands</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, God of the Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, God of the Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Always Watching" href="#" target="_blank">Always Watching</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> offer other variations along the same theme. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Always Watching" href="#" target="_blank">Always Watching</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an anthem effect, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, God of the Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, God of the Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is resilient and can produce tokens in a pinch, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brave the Sands" href="#" target="_blank">Brave the Sands</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets us block an additional creature each combat. Not only do we get to leave blockers up, but a wall of first strikers will be nearly impossible for our enemies to run straight into.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, let's look at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unbreakable Formation" href="#" target="_blank">Unbreakable Formation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While its not <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's still a powerful effect. For three mana, we can either reactively protect our board or launch a crippling alpha strike. Blocking with first strikers is hard enough for our enemies, but indestructibility turns the blocking math into genuine damage control.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Hit Them With Your Best Shot</h2>
<p>Swinging with first strikers is all well and good, but that advantage is directly proportional to the power of our creatures. A 4/4 Beast will be able to block a 3/3 Soldier with first strike all day. White typically leans towards smaller creatures, and first strike often finds itself on smaller creatures as well. For example, roughly only 15% of white creatures with first strike have a power greater than 3. Some extra 'oomph' is needed.</p>
<p>As it happens, there's another Dominarian legend I'd like to call out in Kwende's army, and that's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Danitha, Capashen Paragon" href="#" target="_blank">Danitha, Capashen Paragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She's not only a paragon for her name, but also represents the archetype that first and double strike encourage us to build around: Equipment. Equipment are already a powerful boon to white decks, but Danitha reminds us what a great combination those keywords can be when paired with artifacts that buff our creatures and apply on-hit damage triggers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodforged Battle-Axe"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kusari-Gama"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crown of Doom"></div></div>
<p>If we're looking to maximize this strategy, we want the most cost-efficient stat bumps we can get. I'm especially going to lean toward the crazy fun choices. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodforged Battle-Axe" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodforged Battle-Axe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the coolest Equipment in the game in terms of uniqueness and application. With a +2/+0 boost and cheap stats, this weapon can provide a steady stream of yet more weapons. When I've seen it played, it usually preys on the opponent with the weakest board state to make tons of Equipment. When you combine it with double strike, it gets as silly as you would expect. Turning every creature we have into axe-swinging murderers is certainly fun.</p>
<p>Coming in with 1,200 decks is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of Doom" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of Doom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While it technically costs five total mana to use the same turn we cast it, I think that's a small price to pay for this type of chaotic effect. The Crown forces our opponents into a game of Hot Potato as whoever is holding the Crown is a prime target to attack. +2/+0 is a powerful boost to a board of double-striking attackers. Any <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gahiji, Honored One" href="#" target="_blank">Gahiji, Honored One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> player can tell you not to underrate that power boost.</p>
<p>Lastly we have one of the most underrated and underplayed Equipment in the game, seen in only 802 decks. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kusari-Gama" href="#" target="_blank">Kusari-Gama</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a menace of a card that often reads "Equipped creature can't be blocked." If your opponent does dare to block, they risk their entire board getting swept away! I don't expect many board states with opponents that would be willing to take that on the chin. (For decks outside of mono-white, take note that Kusari-Gama does not specify combat damage; the equipped creature just has to deal any damage to a blocking creature. While that might seem corner-case, red has plenty of ways to abuse that ability at instant speed.)</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sigarda&#039;s Aid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stonehewer Giant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teshar, Ancestor&#039;s Apostle"></div></div>
<p>With a focus on Equipment, we're going to want to support that small theme. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigarda&#039;s Aid" href="#" target="_blank">Sigarda&#039;s Aid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a slam-dunk pick. Flash and auto-equipping? Sold. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stonehewer Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Stonehewer Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the often-overlooked cousin to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stoneforge Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Stoneforge Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but searching for a Equipment, putting it into play, and attaching it for free? That will be invaluable. Tutoring for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blackblade Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Blackblade Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hammer of Nazahn" href="#" target="_blank">Hammer of Nazahn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is truly a power play.</p>
<p>Lastly, while not conventionally synergistic with Equipment, we have <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>. Teshar got a lot of buzz when they were released, but I've not seen as much discussion since with them appearing in just over 700 decks. White relies heavily on artifacts, and in an archetype that requires potentially losing creatures in combat, we're going to need a way to recoup our losses. Other recursion creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sun Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Sun Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bishop of Rebirth" href="#" target="_blank">Bishop of Rebirth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will also be important for this reason.</p>
<hr />
<h2>A Pride Like No Other</h2>
<p>While Kwende remains a fairly simple commander, I think there are a lot of lessons that we can learn from him. Often it's very easy to make a pile of simply good cards and throw it together. Kwende's straightforward approach gives us the opportunity to do a bit more digging. He forces us to ask questions about how to best leverage his ability, what effects are best to maximize a combat keyword, and how to recover from expected losses. While we don't get to play a very broad strategy, we get to go deep on that singular focus. I think these are lessons that can be applied to any and all commander decks. Check out a prototype Kwende list below!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="”A Pride Like No Other”" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kwende, Pride of Femeref
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
*1 Archetype of Courage
*1 Balan, Wandering Knight
*1 Baneslayer Angel
*1 Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile
*1 Bruna, the Fading Light
*1 Celestial Archon
*1 Danitha Capashen, Paragon
*1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
*1 Gisela, the Broken Blade
*1 Heliod, God of the Sun
*1 Jazal Goldmane
*1 Knight of Meadowgrain
*1 Knight of the White Orchid
*1 Lone Rider Flip
*1 Lyra Dawnbringer
*1 Mirror Entity
*1 Odric, Lunarch Marshal
*1 Odric, Master Tactician
*1 Sigiled Paladin
*1 Soul of Theros
*1 Stoneforge Mystic
*1 Student of Warfare
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Teshar, Ancestor&#039;s Apostle
*1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
*1 Thalia&#039;s Lancers
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Memorial
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Bloodforged Battle-Axe
*1 Crown of Doom
*1 Endless Atlas
*1 Hammer of Nazahn
*1 Inquisitor&#039;s Flail
*1 Kusari-Gama
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Loxodon Warhammer
*1 Marble Diamond
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Parhelion II
*1 Pearl Medallion
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 Sword of Vengeance
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Teferi’s Protection
*1 Unbreakable Formation
[/Instant]
[Enchantment]
*1 Always Watching
*1 Angelic Destiny
*1 Brave the Sands
*1 Cartouche of Solidarity
*1 Crescendo of War
*1 Honor of the Pure
*1 Land Tax
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 True Conviction
[/Enchantment]
[Sorcery]
*1 Citywide Bust
*1 Cleansing Nova
[/Sorcery]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Ajani, Steadfast
*1 Elspeth, Champion of the Sun
*1 Ugin, the Ineffable
[/Planeswalker]
[Land]
*1 Blast Zone
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Emeria, The Sky Ruin
*1 Field of Ruin
*1 Forge of Heroes
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Opal Palace
*23 Plains
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Secluded Steppe
*1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
*1 Wasteland
*1 Windbrisk Heights
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>I hope you enjoyed this article! If you have any suggestions for future installments of this series, let me know in the comments below or on Twitter! Once again, thanks for joining me in the <em>Underdog's Corner</em>.</p>


Underdog's Corner - Kwende, Pride of Femeref

Conditions Allow - Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulrich of the Krallenhorde" href="#" target="_blank">Ulrich of the Krallenhorde</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/maniaks">Slawomir Maniak</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p><span id="m_7985745279735501680gmail-docs-internal-guid-971aaafd-7fff-35c2-bef7-2bbb00875c9e">Hello, EDHREC! I’m Bernardo Melibeu and this is <em>Epic Experiment,</em> a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally play our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</span></p>
<p>In this article we're going to talk about the scruffy lord himself: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulrich of the Krallenhorde" href="#" target="_blank">Ulrich of the Krallenhorde</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>First, let's take a quick look at his kit</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulrich of the Krallenhorde"></div></div>
<p><strong>Whenever this creature enters the battlefield or transforms into Ulrich of the Krallenhorde, target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.</strong></p>
<p><strong>At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Ulrich of the Krallenhorde.</strong></p>
<p><strong>(Flip side)</strong></p>
<p><strong>Whenever this creature transforms into Ulrich, Uncontested Alpha, you may have it fight target non-Werewolf creature you don't control.</strong></p>
<p><strong>At the beginning of each upkeep, if two or more spells were cast last turn, transform Ulrich, Uncontested Alpha.</strong></p>
<p>Observation 1:</p>
<p>Ulrich is very similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huntmaster of the Fells" href="#" target="_blank">Huntmaster of the Fells</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the sense that they both encourage their controller to keep transforming them back and forth.</p>
<p>Observation 2:</p>
<p>A player casting no spells in a turn is quite rare in EDH. To make things worse, the payoffs are unreliable. For example, unless he's transforming back to a Human on our turn, we won't be able to use the bonus P/T.</p>
<p>Observation 3:</p>
<p>Having mana sinks such as activated abilities will help avoid casting spells, which could assist us to transform Ulrich.</p>
<p>Observation 4:</p>
<p>Unlike Ulrich's Human side, transforming into his Werewolf side feels great on any turn. The fight ability is useful since it can pick off valuable utility creatures and/or clear a path for an attack.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<p>Now, let’s take a quick look at <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/ulrich-of-the-krallenhorde">Ulrich’s EDHREC page</a>:</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-34205" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Ulrich-Sig.png" alt="" width="693" height="363" /></p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-34206" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Ulrich-Top.png" alt="" width="680" height="367" /></p>
<p>Werewolves everywhere! Given Ulrich's borderline vanilla feel, and that he's the only Werewolf that can be a commander, people tend to only try him out in tribal decks. However, as many deckbuilders have found, commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ruric Thar, the Unbowed" href="#" target="_blank">Ruric Thar, the Unbowed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surrak Dragonclaw" href="#" target="_blank">Surrak Dragonclaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give a better support for that tribe, since they facilitate transformations more easily.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<p>This idea was suggested to me by a reader in a previous article, so here we go:</p>
<p>As we saw before, Ulrich's payoffs are kind of unreliable, which means we need to think outside the box to make them <em>more </em>reliable. How? Well, for example, let's say we have our commander in play, and Jenny is about to start her turn. We could ask her to let us flip Ulrich so that we can fight and destroy that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zur, the Enchanter" href="#" target="_blank">Zur, the Enchanter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> over there that's trying to be sneaky.</p>
<p>Now let's say that, while Ulrich is in Werewolf form, someone casts two spells on the same turn, making him flip back to Human. The next turn isn't ours, so Ulrich's P/T bonus would be kind of wasted if we were to buff any of our creatures... but what if we try to make a deal with Timmy, whose turn is next, to give one of <em>his</em> creatures the buff, so he can attack that Zur player for more damage?</p>
<p>In both of these cases, we use the added dimension of a multiplayer game to transform (pun intended) our beatstick into a political tool.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Basilisk Collar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Repercussion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thaumatic Compass"></div></div>
<p>As mentioned before, Ulrich appreciates spending mana on activated abilities, since it allows us to use our mana without casting spells, to help him transform. Thus, a strong Equipment suite allows us to develop our board while also triggering our commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Basilisk Collar" href="#" target="_blank">Basilisk Collar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gorgon&#039;s Head" href="#" target="_blank">Gorgon&#039;s Head</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will make sure that if Ulrich fights a creature, it dies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Kaldra" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Kaldra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> not only exiles the affected creature, but also allows Ulrich to Voltron people out of the game. You won't gain any political points with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scythe of the Wretched" href="#" target="_blank">Scythe of the Wretched</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but this card lets us use some of our opponents' creatures against them.</p>
<p>Since we're trying to be a political engine, it's kind of hard to play threats, since those threats could paint a target on our back and remove our political capital. This is why we're packing some damage-doubling effects, so we can try to avoid some of the backlash while simultaneously accelerating the clock. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Bloodletting" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Bloodletting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitter Feud" href="#" target="_blank">Bitter Feud</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are efficient ways to incentivize our opponents to target each other. Other global effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Furnace of Rath" href="#" target="_blank">Furnace of Rath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can also work, but these are a little bit scarier to use since we have no control over them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Assault Suit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rite of the Raging Storm"></div></div>
<p>There are also ways to make people want to attack, though without forcing them to. Usually forcing a player to attack will invite them to just attack you, but if we're just giving our opponents the <em>option</em> to attack without <em>forcing </em>them to, that can work out a lot better in our favor. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of the Raging Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of the Raging Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives a free attack to the active player. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assault Suit" href="#" target="_blank">Assault Suit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets us lend our commander to every opponent, which helps spread commander damage across the table. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor" href="#" target="_blank">Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very fun political card, benefitting greatly from both of Ulrich's abilities and creating an interesting dynamic with Her Survivor tokens. In this deck, we should always ask permission before attacking with Varchild; explaining our thought process to the defending player can be instrumental to make sure they don't begrudge the attack, and will then go on to use those Survivor tokens to help us take out mutual enemies.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Ulrich Politics" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Ulrich of the Krallenhorde
[/Commander]
[Creature]
* Birds of Paradise
* Humble Defector
* Sakura-Tribe Elder
* Goblin Spymaster
* Magus of the Moon
* Rampaging Ferocidon
* Treasure Nabber
* Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor
* Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
* Avenger of Zendikar
* Molten Primordial
* Avatar of Slaughter
* Craterhoof Behemoth
[/Creature]
[Sorcery]
* Faithless Looting
* Wildest Dreams
* Farseek
* Hull Breach
* Mizzium Mortars
* Nature&#039;s Lore
* Rampant Growth
* Tormenting Voice
* Cultivate
* Grow From the Ashes
* Kodama&#039;s Reach
* Chain Reaction
* Disrupt Decorum
* Harmonize
* Skyshroud Claim
* Creeping Renaissance
* Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
* Tooth and Nail
* Insurrection
* Blasphemous Act
[/Sorcery]
[Enchantment]
* Curse of Opulence
* Sylvan Library
* Blood Moon
* Repercussion
* Sulfuric Vortex
* Furnace of Rath
* Stranglehold
* Bitter Feud
* Curse of Bloodletting
* Rite of the Raging Storm
* Vicious Shadows
* Sandwurm Convergence
[/Enchantment]
[Artifact]
* Basilisk Collar
*Gorgon&#039;s Head
* Relic of Progenitus
* Sol Ring
* Scythe of the Wretched
* Strionic Resonator
* Thaumatic Compass
* Crown of Doom
* Darksteel Plate
* Assault Suit
* Sword of Kaldra
* Vedalken Orrery
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
* Nature&#039;s Claim
* Heroic Intervention
* Price of Progress
* Beast Within
* Chaos Warp
[/Instant]
[Land]
*Command Tower
*Stomping Ground
*Spire Garden
*Rootbound Crag
*Karplusan Forest
*City of Brass
* Mana Confluence
* Cinder Glade
* Game Trail
* Temple of Abandon
* Sheltered Thicket
* Flamekin Village
* Hanweir Battlements
* Kessig Wolf Run
* Skarrg, the Rage Pits
* Ghost Quarter
* Tectonic Edge
*11 Forest
*9 Mountain
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>The list is running a slight lockdown subtheme. This is not stax, per se, but they help us control many types of common strategies. We have graveyard hate with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relic of Progenitus" href="#" target="_blank">Relic of Progenitus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, lifegain hate with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sulfuric Vortex" href="#" target="_blank">Sulfuric Vortex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rampaging Ferocidon" href="#" target="_blank">Rampaging Ferocidon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and more blunt pieces, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sandwurm Convergence" href="#" target="_blank">Sandwurm Convergence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which shuts down folks looking to attack our way, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Moon" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Moon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magus of the Moon" href="#" target="_blank">Magus of the Moon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will punish greedy manabases.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sandwurm Convergence"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blood Moon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Disrupt Decorum"></div></div>
<p>Given that we're running a political deck, seems only fitting to add a few <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Threaten" href="#" target="_blank">Threaten</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects. In EDH, these usually affect the whole board and are on the expensive side, but they do pack a punch. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insurrection" href="#" target="_blank">Insurrection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the go-to card, and can just end games. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disrupt Decorum" href="#" target="_blank">Disrupt Decorum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn't give us control of the creatures, but its effect is quite potent when it wreaks havoc for a full round.</p>
<p>We're not running many straight-up win conditions, but one in particular is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tooth and Nail" href="#" target="_blank">Tooth and Nail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. For our T&amp;N creature package we're running the dynamic duo, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avenger of Zendikar" href="#" target="_blank">Avenger of Zendikar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but we're also running a spicier one in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avatar of Slaughter" href="#" target="_blank">Avatar of Slaughter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Molten Primordial" href="#" target="_blank">Molten Primordial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Depending on context, you could really do a lot of damage with these big creatures.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Methodology</h3>
<p>Getting started with political decks can be really difficult, since political play isn't a skill we learn in other formats. I would recommend trying the list with people that you feel comfortable playing with, so the process of making deals is a little bit easier to understand. I'd advise against multi-turn deals, as they can become frustrating for the other players and might backfire very quickly. Try small "X-for-Y" trades instead, which make the game run smoother and will avoid feelbads.</p>
<p>For our opening hand, we need a way to get ahead in mana to start developing our board. This is really important because we can't make deals if we don't have anything meaningful to offer. Playing lock effects and damage doublers is a bit of a gambit and I'd recommend, unless given a strong reason, not doing so.</p>
<p>For the mid game, we want to play out political tools, which includes our commander, one of our most repeatable political offerings. We should also try to incentivize our opponents to hit each other, be it with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of the Raging Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of the Raging Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or simply by making deals. As we play more and more pieces, the number of deals we can make can increase - just make sure you read the room and don't make folks uncomfortable by doing so.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tooth and Nail"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sandwurm Convergence"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vicious Shadows"></div></div>
<p>By the late game, when our opponent's resources start to crumble, we should make the infamous face-to-heel transition and start going aggro. Good pacing throughout the game is important for this transition; with the bloodbath that we've enabled, many of our threats are finally online in this stage of the game, and we only need that one big punch to open wide the game.</p>
<p>One mistake I often see when playing against political decks is that the pilot tends to think that they're everyone's friend. This cannot be further from the truth - we're not trying to make friends, we're using them to get what we want. Every deal we make has to put us slowly ahead, and every "gift" we give comes with many strings attached. We, as the politics deck, need to always remember that we're playing to win. Giving out things without a plan will just result in a kingmaker scenario, which will lose us the game while also feeling pretty bad for the other players. However, giving things out when we <em>do </em>have a plan will turn our opponents into our chess pieces.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Epic Results</h3>
<p>If you'd like to tune up this deck, there are tons of other potential inclusions to facilitate interesting gameplay. <em>Monarch </em>cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyline Despot" href="#" target="_blank">Skyline Despot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throne of the High City" href="#" target="_blank">Throne of the High City</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, introduce a great new dynamic to the board. We could even add effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bedlam" href="#" target="_blank">Bedlam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to the mix so that it's easier to finish the game up. We might take some extra damage because of that, but if we're playing our politics correctly, we should be able to get around the aggro. Finally, you could amp up the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tooth and Nail" href="#" target="_blank">Tooth and Nail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> package with a combo like <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> and <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>.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment!</em> What do you think about this list? Was Ulrich a good boi? Do you have any questions about the list? Which cards did you like? Which didn’t you? Was the <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


Epic Experiment - Ulrich Politics

<h1>Breaking Open a New Format</h1>
<p>Today is an exciting day, so I am going to preface this entire article with this simple warning: I am extremely hyped! Today, I am excited to talk to you about Oathbreaker and what it means for EDHREC!</p>
<p>“But Seth! What is Oathbreaker?! Where do I learn more about it?! How does this have anything to do with EDHREC?!”</p>
<p>I will do my absolute best to answer all of these questions and more. Let's start with the biggest one:</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">What is Oathbreaker?</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-34377 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ElderRec.png" alt="" width="216" height="286" /></p>
<p>The Professor of <em>Tolarian Community College</em> made a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIuoaxuQIUo">great video about the Oathbreaker format</a>, and in that video, he called the format “the best Commander variant." That's high praise from one of the many <em>Magic: the Gathering</em> content creators out there experimenting with the format. Is it really a Commander variant? Let's look at the rules:</p>
<ol>
<li>Like in Commander, the decks are singleton - no duplicate cards except basic lands.</li>
<li>Unlike Commander, decks are a total of 60 cards, not 100.</li>
<li>Starting life total is 20. There is no commander damage.</li>
<li>The same rules of Commander color identity rules apply in Oathbreaker as well.</li>
<li>Rather than a legendary creature in the command zone, your deck's leader is a planeswalker.</li>
<li>You have not one, but <em>two </em>cards in the command zone. Your Oathbreaker is accompanied by a Signature Spell, which must fall within the color identity of your Oathbreaker. Command tax applies both to your Oathbreaker and to your Signature Spell.</li>
<li>Your Signature Spell may only be cast when your Oathbreaker is on the battlefield.</li>
</ol>
<p>There are some other logical conclusions to make as well, based on these rules. For example, given the lower life totals and the lack of legendary creatures in the command zone, there is no commander damage in Oathbreaker. The lower life totals also allow us to assume that the format is more fast-paced than a typical game of Commander. Additionally, the commander replacement effect doesn't apply to the Signature Spell; you can't choose to put it into your graveyard, it <em>has </em>to return to the command zone. No shenanigans with <em>Flashback</em> or <em>Aftermath. </em></p>
<p>Oh, and of course, Oathbreaker maintains a different banlist from Commander, which you can find <a href="https://weirdcards.org/oathbreaker-ban-list">here</a>.</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">What does Oathbreaker have to do with EDHREC?</h2>
<p>The simple reality is that the Oathbreaker format does not have a resource like EDHREC just yet, and if you have been an EDH player for even a little while, you probably know that this site is one of the top tools for building and researching decks for the format. With Oathbreaker becoming more popular over the past year or so, many of the most popular deckbuilding sites have been adapting and adding support for Oathbreaker, including most of the sites that EDHREC gathers decklists and data from. The user base has therefore been wondering if EDHREC would take notice of the growing interest and adapt their data collection tools for this new, exciting format.</p>
<p>I am sure you will not be surprised, having read up to this point, but the answer is yes! Yes we will!</p>
<p><a href="https://oathbreaker.edhrec.com/">EDHREC: Oathbreaker</a></p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-34376 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/OathRec.png" alt="" width="700" height="367" /></p>
<p>To start, I want to be very clear that this initial version of the Oathbreaker EDHREC page is in beta mode, with an initial set of features baked in. As we continue to develop the site, as the format continues to grow, and as the user base creates some requests for how best to search for new ideas, the talented developers of EDHREC can expand on these features and make the site even better! Oathbreaker is becoming so popular that we wanted to push the site into the public to get people brewing, building, and thinking about awesome lists and interactions!</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">What should we expect from Oathbreaker EDHREC?</h3>
<p>I want to clarify some of the initial features of <a href="https://oathbreaker.edhrec.com/">EDHREC's Oathbreaker</a> beta page, mainly so that we can start using it to the best of our ability right away. First and foremost, the site highlights the most popular Oathbreakers, similar to how we highlight the most popular commanders. We've also included the ability to search popular Signature Spells independently, in addition to specific combinations of Oathbreakers and Signature Spells.</p>
<p>We can isolate these categories based on color identities, examine the most popular examples of each category for a given set, and we can search for our favorite cards in the main deck, to see which Oathbreakers and Signature Spells they pair best with. The plethora of Advanced Filters on EDHREC even make an appearance for Oathbreaker, letting us filter everything out until we get exactly what we want to see, along with the classic type distribution on each Oathbreaker's page.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-34596 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/arlinn-kord-moonmist.png" alt="" width="446" height="272" /></p>
<p>It should be noted that some of the features from EDHREC have not made it onto the Oathbreaker page. For example, EDHREC's <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes">Themes</a>, <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets">Sets</a>, and <a href="https://edhrec.com/recs/">Recommendation Engine</a> features don't exist on the Oathbreaker page. Rest assured that these features are in the works, but it will take time to polish and finalize them. (I could go deep into nerdy techno-detail about why these are not quick ports from the main page, but the short answer is that the code for these features is written specifically to work with the way EDHREC and EDH decks are listed, and it is not instantly compatible with the Oathbreaker format.) Our developers are going to endeavor to tweak and adjust and bring these features in the future, but again, it may take some time to complete.</p>
<p>So this is it: the first step of EDHREC and Oathbreaker working together. I am excited to see what the format brings to the table, both for kitchen tables and the tables at future MagicFests. I feel it's important to address the concerns some folks have raised about "flash in the pan" formats; some may even say that Oathbreaker will not last longer than Tiny Leaders, Frontier, Brawl and so on. To that, I just want to highlight that the Oathbreaker format has been around for a couple of years already. The recent popularity has been a result of the tweaking and evolution done by the folks who started it, the team over at <a href="https://weirdcards.org/">WeirdCards.org</a>.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-34597 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/weirdcards.png" alt="" width="658" height="112" /></p>
<p><a href="https://weirdcards.org/">WeirdCards.org</a> is a non-profit social club dedicated to bringing people together through a mutual love of playing games. These fine people have also created the <a href="https://magikids.org/">magikids.org</a> nonprofit social club, which focuses on teaching kids how to play <em>Magic</em>, training the next generation of cardboard warriors and spellslingers! We're excited and very proud to let you know that all of the advertising revenue generated from the Oathbreaker page for the full months of June, July and August are all going to be donated to the <a href="https://weirdcards.org/">WeirdCards organization</a>! This is a great cause and it is very exciting to see this kind of collaboration between us and the organization that created and evolved this new format.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">DM’s Dream Deck</h3>
<p>This wouldn't be a proper article without a decklist! Let's do some brewing.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fireball"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Koth of the Hammer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jaya&#039;s Immolating Inferno"></div></div></p>
<p>For anyone who knows me, you should know that my all-time favorite Planeswalker is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Koth of the Hammer" href="#" target="_blank">Koth of the Hammer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He was the first planeswalker card I ever owned and to this day, he is one of my favorite characters in <em>Magic</em>’s history. I figure it's only fair that the first deck I design for Oathbreaker should be based on my boy Koth!</p>
<p>What about his Signature Spell? My first choice was originally <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fireball" href="#" target="_blank">Fireball</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to be used in conjunction with Koth’s -2 ability, generating a ton of mana and blasting someone’s 20 life out of the game. However, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fireball" href="#" target="_blank">Fireball</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't up to snuff. I think a more efficient spell would be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jaya’s Immolating Inferno" href="#" target="_blank">Jaya’s Immolating Inferno</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which could blast the whole table at once! Oathbreaker works amazingly well with the legendary instants and sorceries; we can only cast a legendary sorcery if we control a legendary creature or planeswalker, but in Oathbreaker, we can only cast our Signature Spell if we control our planeswalker, so it works out perfectly!</p>
<p>To take advantage of the lower life total, here's a deck that's all ready to burninate the countryside and break some oaths!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Koth Burns The Table" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Oathbreaker]
*1 Koth of the Hammer
[/Oathbreaker]
[Signature Spell]
*1 Jaya&#039;s Immolating Inferno
[/Signature Spell]
[Artifact]
*1 Endless Atlas
*1 Extraplanar Lens
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Pyromancer&#039;s Goggles
*1 Ruby Medallion
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Lightning Bolt
*1 Price of Progress
*1 Pyroblast
*1 Reverberate
*1 Risk Factor
*1 Seething Song
[/instant]
[Sorcery]
*1 Anger of the Gods
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Light Up the Stage
*1 Mizzix&#039;s Mastery
*1 Ruination
[/sorcery]
[Land]
*1 Desert of the Fervent
*1 Forge of Heroes
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Smoldering Crater
*20 Snow-Covered Mountain
*1 Strip Mine
*1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
[/Land]
[Enchantment]
*1 Outpost Siege
[/Enchantment]
[Creature]
*1 Dualcaster Mage
*1 Electrostatic Field
*1 Guttersnipe
*1 Inferno Titan
*1 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
*1 Runaway Steam-Kin
*1 Young Pyromancer
[/Creature]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Chandra, Fire Artisan
*1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
[/Planeswalker]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>We hope you enjoy the new <a href="https://oathbreaker.edhrec.com/">Oathbreaker EDHREC</a>! Have you been playing Oathbreaker? Do you plan on getting into it? Which Planeswalker do you want to brew around, and which Signature Spell would you use? Let us know in the comments down below! Thanks for reading!</p>


EDHREC Now Supports Oathbreaker

Teshar - Play It Again, Sam

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Food Chain" href="#" target="_blank">Food Chain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;artist=[%22Craig%20J%20Spearing%22]">Craig Spearing</a>)</h6>
<h1>Another Player Enters the Fold</h1>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Editor's Note: Article has been updated 6/6/2019 to include attribution to u/ShaperSavant's Food Chain primer</h4>
<p>Hey everyone! Kya here once again! Welcome back to <em>Bringing Magic to Life</em>, the series where I appease my corporate overlords and justify my existence here on EDHREC. Here we're going to turn our gaming table into more than just a place to throw down cardboard; here we're going to bring our decks to life!</p>
<p>Today's article will continue my recent trend of stepping out of my comfort zone. In addition to trying out a slightly more serious deck, we're going look at some amazing crafts that another member of the community has made! Every once in a while someone's work will blow my mind, and fortunately this time I have the opportunity to share it with the EDH world! First, however, we've got to create a deck worthy of this amazing invention I've yet to disclose to you!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Niv-Mizzet Reborn"></div></div>
<p>I've gushed about Nicky B plenty of times before, but today we're looking at one of my other favorite Dragons: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! That's right, the Dragon so egotistical that his own form couldn't contain himself, and he became reborn into an Avatar of Ego! (That's definitely the lore, take my word for it. No need to look it up.) Today we're going to learn how to embody his personality with a new, superior deck!</p>
<p>Let's look at what our reborn Dragon can do! First of all, even at his most basic, he's a flying 6/6 for 5 mana. That's pretty nice, and comes with an even nicer ability: his ETB trigger can add multiple cards to your hand based on their color pairs! Needless to say, his mere existence adds a lot of flair to the stage. Best of all, he's in every color, so you'll never run out of ways to abuse this neat little feature. There are a dozen ways to play this commander and I'm sure you've already read one or two articles featuring him. So what do we have planned for today?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Food Chain"></div></div>
<p>That's right! Food Chain! ShaperSavant and others of the cEDH community have pioneered the Food Chain archetype, and you can <a href="https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/food-chain-niv/">check out their primers here</a>.</p>
<p>If you stop reading at this point, I completely understand. Competitive decks can be dizzying for some players. If you're game for something spicy, though, let's continue.</p>
<p>If you're too innocent to understand this tainted card, I'm going to break it down: this enchantment allows you to exile a creature you control to obtain mana equal to that creature's cost, plus one. That new mana can be used to cast creatures only.</p>
<p>Cool little card, right? But what makes that such a big deal? The creature goes into exile, so who cares about a little mana? Well, here is where it gets... evil.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Squee, the Immortal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Misthollow Griffin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eternal Scourge"></div></div>
<p>Somewhere along the line, <em>Wizards of the Coast </em>printed a couple cards that can be cast from exile. You can cast one of these creatures as you normally would, and feed it to Food Chain. Then you can cast it again, and feed it to the enchantment once more. And once more. And over and over and over. Recast the creature, exile, rinse, and repeat. This nets you an extra mana every time you feed the machine, and you now have infinite colored mana for creatures! Isn't that insane? Who decided casting creatures from exile was a good idea? Whoever it is, I love you.</p>
<p>What do we do next, you ask? Well, you cast your lucky commander. Niv-Mizzet will trigger, putting cards into your hand. Then, you exile him with Food Chain too. With all that infinite mana, you can cast him from the command zone as many times as you want, drawing as many two-color cards in your deck as you could ever want!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Manipulate Fate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demonic Consultation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Foresight"></div></div>
<p>Now, I know what you're thinking. How on earth do you manage to get lucky enough to reliably get one of those cast-me-from-exile creatures into your hand? Well, don't worry: you're in five-color heaven! You won't have any lack of tutors to worry about. Even better, this strategy makes normally terrible tutors into something truly amazing. You have very special cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manipulate Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Manipulate Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Consultation" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Consultation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Foresight" href="#" target="_blank">Foresight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to put those very special creatures into exile, ready to cast whenever you'd like!</p>
<p>So how exactly do you win with infinite mana? The mana obtained from Food Chain can only be used on creatures, which means you can't use cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Debt to the Deathless" href="#" target="_blank">Debt to the Deathless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to win. This makes your win conditions limited. Luckily, we still have a few nifty ways, all tutorable with our commander as we infinitely cast him! You can either ping people to death with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sparkcaster" href="#" target="_blank">Sparkcaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, mill with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Circu, Dimir Lobotomist" href="#" target="_blank">Circu, Dimir Lobotomist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or simply suck the souls out of the group with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vela the Night-Clad" href="#" target="_blank">Vela the Night-Clad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, all of which trigger repeatedly as you cast Niv or your other castable-from-exile creatures over and over! For folks already familiar with Food Chain, this may not be totally new, but it is totally nasty.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sparkcaster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Circu, Dimir Lobotomist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vela the Night-Clad"></div></div>
<p>As an alternative, throw in cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to draw cards as you cast Niv, and snag an easy win with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Laboratory Maniac" href="#" target="_blank">Laboratory Maniac</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I personally already own a Labman deck and refuse to make another - just one of each sickeningly evil deck type for this girl, thanks! My point is simply to show that there are a lot of options with infinite mana, even when you're restricted to casting a single card type with it.</p>
<p>The rest of the cards to fill out the deck are obvious choices, and simply support the combo mentioned above by either protecting the key cards or searching for them. Below is the full decklist! Keep in mind that I built the list below without much regard for the budget. As long as you get the core cards however, you can build within your budget to make sure those core cards are working properly.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="cEDH Reborn" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Niv-Mizzet Reborn
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Sparkcaster
*1 Circu, Dimir Lobotomist
*1 Vela the Night-Clad
*1 Eternal Scourge
*1 Squee, the Immortal
*1 Misthollow Griffin
*1 Riftsweeper
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Imperial Recruiter
*1 Avacyn&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Fyndhorn Elves
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Elves of Deep Shadow
*1 Noble Hierarch
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Vexing Shusher
*1 Elvish Mystic
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Rakdos Charm
*1 Entomb
*1 Eladamri&#039;s Call
*1 Force of Will
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Noxious Revival
*1 Demonic Consultation
*1 Spell Pierce
*1 Swan Song
*1 Pact of Negation
*1 Dispel
*1 Nature&#039;s Claim
*1 Tainted Pact
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Vampiric Tutor
*1 Flusterstorm
*1 Abrupt Decay
*1 Dovin&#039;s Veto
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Mana Drain
*1 Terminate
*1 Mystical Tutor
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Cruel Tutor
*1 Imperial Seal
*1 Extract
*1 Gamble
*1 Diabolic Intent
*1 Preordain
*1 Manipulate Fate
*1 Foresight
*1 Ponder
*1 Yawgmoth&#039;s Will
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Mana Crypt
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Mana Vault
*1 Chrome Mox
*1 Mox Diamond
*1 Winter Orb
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Food Chain
*1 Carpet of Flowers
*1 Mystic Remora
*1 Sylvan Library
*1 Sterling Grove
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Teferi, Time Raveler
*1 Ashiok, Dream Render
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Gemstone Cavern
*1 Command Tower
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Badlands
*1 Savannah
*1 Taiga
*1 Tundra
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Yavimaya Coast
*1 Underground Sea
*1 Volcanic Island
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Bayou
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 City of Brass
*1 Forbidden Orchard
*1 Spire Garden
*1 Morphic Pool
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Tropical Island
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>Fun, huh? Find Food Chain and a creature that can return from exile, then feed it to Food Chain for infinite mana. Use that mana to do the same thing with Niv, casting him over and over from the command zone and drawing into one of your two-color creature spells that will finish off the game. Simple!</p>
<p>A few notes to justify some of my odder choices: I added <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gamble" href="#" target="_blank">Gamble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for fun. Grab <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squee, the Immortal" href="#" target="_blank">Squee, the Immortal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with it and it doesn't matter if he accidentally goes to the graveyard! Same goes for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's great having no fear with Squee! I think my biggest irk of the deck is that finding and protecting Food Chain can cause a bit of anxiety, but when you do pull it off, it's a grand ol' time.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-34147" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/art.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="217" /></p>
<h2>The Powers of the Community</h2>
<p>Now for the part we've all been waiting for. Okay, the part <em>I've </em>been waiting for! It's time to show off one of the coolest commander props out there!</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-34144" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/EEHyHhs-1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="579" /></p>
<p>A 3D Niv-Mizzet Commander card, made by the one and only Adam! He can be found on Instagram at @4ADuel and his Facebook can be found <a href="http://www.facebook.com/4Aduel/">here</a> as well. Is this not the most amazing Commander-related prop you've ever seen? Well, don't worry: Adam has provided some step-by-step instructions on how to create one of your very own!</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-34140" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/exXo4za.jpg" alt="" width="384" height="276" /></p>
<p>It all starts with getting your very own Dragon! You can buy a Niv-Mizzet from the D&amp;D Icon of Realms Guildmaster <a href="https://wizkids.com/dd-icons-of-the-realms-guildmasters-guide-to-ravnica/">here</a>. You can tell a lot of work and detail went into this; as a fellow art hobbyist, I have to admire the level of detail added to the model. It takes me hours to paint just a silly Ork, I can only imagine how long it took for this monster!</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-34143" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/zE25hWp.jpg" alt="" width="276" height="300" /></p>
<p>Next was grabbing the buildings from Game Workshop's Adeptus Titanicus! Looks like we have another Warhammer 40k fan who plays EDH! I wonder what the God Emperor would think of such blatant heresy on his buildings....</p>
<p>Oh well! It looks pretty!</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-34142" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/qZqXPc6.jpg" alt="" width="358" height="221" /><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-34138" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/cIVV6hu.jpg" alt="" width="211" height="282" /></p>
<p>Finally it's time for some good old fashioned 3D modeling! That's right, people! He paints, he plays 40,000, <em>and</em> he does 3D models! Sounds like a trifecta to me. For those taking notes, he created it in AutoCAD and printed it from Shapeways. After printing out the model, some professional painting makes it look like a real card!</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-34141" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/jFjvW73.jpg" alt="" width="282" height="300" /></p>
<p>Then finally Adam puts it all together. Perfectly painted and assembled, ready for our egotistical Dragon to perch himself on his new kingdom. Being a pro, Adam magnetized the perch and the model to make sure transport is nice and easy! Now that's how you show off your commander! If I didn't make it clear enough, I'm clearly a fan of his work!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>So what does everything think? Do you think such an amazing model is worthy of today's deck? Or is the deck just barely deserving of this glorious statue? Or is perhaps everything unworthy of the greatness of our Avatar of Ego? Let me know your thoughts!</p>
<p>One final shout out to Adam and his amazing work. Showing his content on EDHREC was a true gift I'm very thankful for. If you have any magnificent works of art related to EDH, feel free to email me at kyavess@gmail.com! If our team agrees, we can promote awareness of more stunning creations to the EDH world!</p>
<p>(Oh and I'll be at GP Vegas this year. Small update. Not a big deal. Secretly freaking out.)</p>
<p>Have a great week, gang!</p>
<p>Kya</p>


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