<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood" href="#" target="_blank">Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/igorkieryluk">Igor Kieryluk</a>)</h6>
<h1>Let the Hate Flow Through You</h1>
<p>Boy, howdy! Has it been two weeks already? That must mean it's time to read some <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>! This week, in our never-ending quest to highlight cards that see play in 300 decks or less on EDHREC, we're taking a look at the color pairing of black and red, otherwise known as Rakdos. For those of you unfamiliar, the following gif should help to clarify what it means to be Rakdos:</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-38450 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/tenor.gif" alt="" width="320" height="160" /></p>
<p>Looking through the Rakdos commanders, I came across this neglected fellow in need of some love. His name is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood" href="#" target="_blank">Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and he only sees play in a measly 262 decks (both as commander and in the 99):</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood"></div></div>
<p>Based on Kazarov's text box, we want this deck to do two things: deal lots of damage to our opponents' creatures, and clear a path for a supersized Kazarov to deal 21 to the dome. To achieve this, we'll need to supplement the deck with both enough mana ramp to support our expensive general and proper Equipment to protect him, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the like. Additionally, it'll be great to have some ways to give some creatures to our opponents, like with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunted Horror" href="#" target="_blank">Hunted Horror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroan Horse" href="#" target="_blank">Akroan Horse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so we always have something for Kazarov to bite.</p>
<p>But those cards are plenty popular. Let's get into some underplayed cards that could use more notoriety!</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Needlers</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fire Ants"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thrashing Wumpus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Subterranean Spirit"></div></div>
<p>First, let's look at some of the permanents that can repeatably ping opposing creatures. My favorite of them has to be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire Ants" href="#" target="_blank">Fire Ants</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (59 decks). I love the imagery here of unleashing a swarm of bitey Insects to pester other creatures. Plus, the fact that the Ants don't damage themselves is a huge bonus.</p>
<p>The first walking <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pestilence" href="#" target="_blank">Pestilence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to be printed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrashing Wumpus" href="#" target="_blank">Thrashing Wumpus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us exactly what we're looking for. It can function as a means to slowly ping creatures and build up Kazarov, but it can also be used to wipe the board should things begin to look hairy. It only sees play in 148 decks, but that number should be higher.</p>
<p>When working on this deck, I looked long and hard at creatures with protection from red and from black to help preserve the team while the rest of the board is soaking up all the untargeted damage. But I'll leave talk of protection to <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/author/elijah-klein/">Elijah</a> and his article today on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Earnest Fellowship" href="#" target="_blank">Earnest Fellowship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Instead, I'll only bring up <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Subterranean Spirit" href="#" target="_blank">Subterranean Spirit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In just 35 decks, it's yet another wide pinger that, in this case, saves itself from all red damage.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magmatic Core"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Circle of Flame"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Noxious Field"></div></div>
<p>I've talked about our next card in previous articles, and I'll continue to talk about it until its numbers increase from the paltry 20 decks that run it right now. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magmatic Core" href="#" target="_blank">Magmatic Core</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> needs your love, folks! It's a wonderful card that, when played right, can function as a repeatable one-sided board wipe. It fits perfectly into what Kazarov is trying to do. Pitter patter!</p>
<p>With this deck not always wanting to deal lethal damage to opposing creatures (if they die, then Kazarov can't get bigger until more hit the battlefield), it's tough to find a deterrent to keep opposing creatures from attacking. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Circle of Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Circle of Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (281 decks) does a great job of that. It basically reads, "If you attack, Kazarov gets huge." Such a great deterrent.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noxious Field" href="#" target="_blank">Noxious Field</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plays much the same role as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire Ants" href="#" target="_blank">Fire Ants</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Subterranean Spirit" href="#" target="_blank">Subterranean Spirit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> do, laying out a fine layer of single-point damage on everything. This <em>Prophecy</em> card only sees play in 65 decks, but it offers this damage-dealing deck some excellent redundancy. Plus, all this damage won't kill off the land it enchants, making this a reliable source of damage.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Damage Done</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Widespread Brutality"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slice and Dice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wail of the Nim"></div></div>
<p>In addition to all of the options for repeatable damage sources, there are many instants and sorceries that help the cause, too. For instance, the recently printed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Widespread Brutality" href="#" target="_blank">Widespread Brutality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is only seeing play in 104 decks, but it can cut a wide swath through each of the other creatures, making a token to boot. For me, this card feels undercosted for the ability, which is why I'm shocked it doesn't see more play.</p>
<p>Next up is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slice and Dice" href="#" target="_blank">Slice and Dice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <em>Onslaught</em>. While I'll rarely play it for the full six mana, the <em>Cycling</em> effect is a great way to grow Kazarov while replacing itself, and all at instant speed. It only sees play in 203 decks, but it's a critical inclusion in this deck.</p>
<p>Another card with built-in versatility, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wail of the Nim" href="#" target="_blank">Wail of the Nim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can save our board from a wipe or pump up our Vampire commander. Ideally, it's going to do both every time thanks to <em>Entwine</em>. Given its 111 deck count on the site, it is a bit of a niche effect, but I'm always looking for an excuse to play it, and I'm happy to have one here.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Radiating Lightning"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Electrickery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Barrage of Boulders"></div></div>
<p>Moving into instants and sorceries also means that we can find options that only damage opposing creatures. For instance, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Radiating Lightning" href="#" target="_blank">Radiating Lightning</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> throws some damage around on the opposing side of the field, both to a player and their creatures. It currently sees play in just 162 decks on EDHREC.</p>
<p>Instead of targeting a specific player, we could always try to hit everything, again at instant speed. For this, it doesn't get much better than an <em>Overload</em>ed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Electrickery" href="#" target="_blank">Electrickery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Appearing in 226 decks, this instant can be a great combat trick to jump an unblocked Kazarov to lethal quite unexpectedly.</p>
<p>The king of these damage spells for Kazarov has to be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cosmotronic Wave" href="#" target="_blank">Cosmotronic Wave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Dealing damage across the board to opposing creatures AND ensuring that Kazarov is going to go unblocked is the dream! Sadly, it sees play in 316 decks, which is 16 too many decks to meet my super-scientific requirements. However, its cousin, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Barrage of Boulders" href="#" target="_blank">Barrage of Boulders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, clocks in at 173 decks, so I can talk about that instead! For one less mana, we see the same damage to all opposing creatures, with a <em>Ferocious </em>rider that prevents creatures form blocking. Kazaorv will definitely qualify for that rider!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Damage Utility</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frilled Deathspitter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shield of the Realm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unstable Footing"></div></div>
<p>There are a few other cards that don't quite fit in under the categories above, but will still help get our Kazarov big and unblockable. The first of these is features an entire mechanic that's built around similar concept: <em>Enrage</em> fits this deck's theme quite well, turning minor bits of damage to our creatures into big effects. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frilled Deathspitter" href="#" target="_blank">Frilled Deathspitter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great prehistoric example of this, and sees play in only 286 decks. Adding on two extra damage to all these spells and effects is certainly going to add up over time.</p>
<p>With all this global damage floating around, it may become necessary to prevent that damage to one of our own utility creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shield of the Realm" href="#" target="_blank">Shield of the Realm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (161 decks) can certainly help with that. This is one of those cards that I'm shocked doesn't see more play; it has such a wide variety of applications, and its usefulness in Equipment decks alone should have those numbers spiking.</p>
<p>There are other times, however, when you're going to want to make sure your damage gets through. For those moments, there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unstable Footing" href="#" target="_blank">Unstable Footing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, played in 119 decks on the site. I prefer this option over something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everlasting Torment" href="#" target="_blank">Everlasting Torment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as I want to have control over when damage can and can't be dealt. Plus, <em>Wither</em> will lead to the death of opposing creatures. That being said, we don't want them dying, necessarily, just neutralized.</p>
<p>How about we snag a peek at the full decklist?</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Kazarov Damages Everything" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div></p>
<p>[Commander]<br />
*1 Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood<br />
[/Commander]</p>
<p>[Creatures]<br />
*1 Hunted Horror<br />
*1 Burnished Hart<br />
*1 Fire Ants<br />
*1 Frilled Deathspitter<br />
*1 Goblin Spymaster<br />
*1 Plague Spitter<br />
*1 Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor<br />
*1 Akroan Horse<br />
*1 Rakdos, Lord of Riots<br />
*1 Sangromancer<br />
*1 Solemn Simulacrum<br />
*1 Hunted Dragon<br />
*1 Kulrath Knight<br />
*1 Subterranean Spirit<br />
*1 Thrashing Wumpus<br />
*1 Harvester of Souls<br />
*1 Mephidross Vampire<br />
*1 Silverclad Ferocidons<br />
[/Creatures]</p>
<p>[Instants]<br />
*1 Electrickery<br />
*1 Unstable Footing<br />
*1 Magmaquake<br />
*1 Terminate<br />
*1 Arcbond<br />
*1 Bedevil<br />
*1 Chaos Warp<br />
*1 Wail of the Nim<br />
*1 Radiating Lightning<br />
[/Instants]</p>
<p>[Sorceries]<br />
*1 Blazing Volley<br />
*1 Vandalblast<br />
*1 Demonic Tutor<br />
*1 Mire in Misery<br />
*1 Barrage of Boulders<br />
*1 Cosmotronic Wave<br />
*1 Widespread Brutality<br />
*1 Slice and Dice<br />
[/Sorceries]</p>
<p>[Artifacts]<br />
*1 Basilisk Collar<br />
*1 Blade of the Bloodchief<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Wayfarer's Bauble<br />
*1 Dowsing Dagger<br />
*1 Lightning Greaves<br />
*1 Rakdos Signet<br />
*1 Shield of the Realm<br />
*1 Tablet of the Guilds<br />
*1 Caltrops<br />
*1 Chromatic Lantern<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Loxodon Warhammer<br />
*1 Pristine Talisman<br />
[/Artifacts]</p>
<p>[Enchantments]<br />
*1 Vampiric Link<br />
*1 Circle of Flame<br />
*1 Dragon Shadow<br />
*1 Eternal Thirst<br />
*1 Phyresis<br />
*1 Dauthi Embrace<br />
*1 Noxious Field<br />
*1 Endless Whispers<br />
*1 Magmatic Core<br />
*1 Pestilence<br />
*1 Pyrohemia<br />
[/Enchantments]</p>
<p>[Lands]<br />
*1 Blood Crypt<br />
*1 Bloodstained Mire<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Desert<br />
*1 Dragonskull Summit<br />
*1 Forbidden Orchard<br />
*1 Graven Cairns<br />
*1 Luxury Suite<br />
*14 Mountain<br />
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx<br />
*1 Rogue's Passage<br />
*1 Smoldering Marsh<br />
*11 Swamp<br />
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth<br />
[/Lands]</p>
<p>[/Deck]</p>

<hr />
<h2>Damage Assessment</h2>
<p>That about does it for Kazarov and his mighty damage-makers. What did you think of the article? Any questions, comments, or snide remarks? If so, leave them in the comments below. I'll be down there to rant and rave yet again about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magmatic Core" href="#" target="_blank">Magmatic Core</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or about how I included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck, but failed to talk about it in the article. Are there any neglected commanders or cards you'd like me to talk about? So long as they see play in 300 decks or less on the site, I'm game to write about them. See you next time!</p>


Forgotten Harvest - Kazarov Damages Everything

The Toolbox - Earnest Fellowship

Ranking Every Land with EDHREC – Part 11: 'Strictly Better' Shall Drive Me Insane

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Nature" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Nature</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/gregstaples">Greg Staples</a>)</h6>
<h1>Keywords as a Keystone</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>Too-Specific Top 10</em>, where if there isn’t a category to rank our pet card at the top of, we’ll just make one up! (Did you know that <em>Banding</em> is the best new mechanic out of <em>Alpha</em>?)</p>
<p>This year, Commander Christmas brought us a full helping of legends based around underutilized keywords. From <em>Flashback </em>to <em>Madness</em>, we got some build-around commanders specifically made to help out archetypes that weren't really viable before. But while we're looking for new goodies, are we missing other excellent mechanics right under our noses? Have we really used all the available keywords that are build-aroundable?</p>
<p>To find out, let's dive into what the best mechanically-minded commanders are.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Top 10 Commanders Featuring a <a href="https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Evergreen">Non-Evergreen Keyword</a></h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37092" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetor&#039;s Voice"></div></div>
<p>If anyone was doing some quick mental math while reading the theme for this week, it probably wasn't hard to figure out that the number one card that fit the criteria would also be the number one commander of all time. While Atraxa has been knocked off of the top of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders#pastweek">Past Week</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders#pastmonth">Past Month</a> lists, she's still good enough and flexible enough that she continues to stick around the middle of them despite all the new and exciting commanders we've seen in the past few months. As for her featured keyword, <em>Proliferate</em>, it's only gotten more popular of late with the return visit to the plane of Ravnica and the +1/+1 counters and planeswalkers that came with it.</p>
<p>Unfortunately for this too-specific list, however, <em>Proliferate</em> may not be the main reason that everyone plays Atraxa: given just how good her keyword soup is, and the fact that she's in four colors, Atraxa can often built as a "goodstuff outside the color red" commander rather than around a central theme that takes advantage of her <em>Proliferate </em>ability.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37093" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Edgar Markov"></div></div>
<p>Perhaps we haven't gone specific enough with our top 10 this week, as our number two happens to be found on the second-most popular commander of the past two years. With the inclusion of <em>Eminence</em> as a keyword, however, it perhaps isn't much of a surprise that we ran into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> so soon. Having a commander that can affect the game state without ever having to be cast is extremely powerful, even if that ability is restricted to a tribe. Maybe if a more obscure tribe than Vampires had been chosen, however...</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37094" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/3-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Queen Marchesa"></div></div>
<p>Moving a little bit further down the popular commanders list, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Marchesa" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Marchesa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is ranked the number ten commander overall, and number three on our list of keyword commanders. Often seen as a fun casual commander that allows for you to do pretty much anything you want in Mardu colors, Marchesa makes you the <em>Monarch</em> when she enters the battlefield, and then punishes others for taking the crown from you, thereby making it easier for you to take the crown back. Deathtouch Assassin tokens will do that, after all.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37095" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/4-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Ur-Dragon"></div></div>
<p>Speaking of <em>Eminence</em>, here is the most powerful of Dragons, whose mere presence allows other Dragons to rush forth from your hand, and whose actual arrival to the battlefield can even bring forth more Dragons from the top of your library. While throwing Dragons (and other permanents) onto the battlefield is certainly a lot of fun, this isn't quite the "building around keywords" type of thing we were looking for, now was it? In another universe where <em>Wizards of the Coast </em>hadn't brought back Protection to evergreen status, we would have had our number four in this list appear in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animar, Soul of Elements" href="#" target="_blank">Animar, Soul of Elements</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. As it is, we'll have to wait for our number five ranking before we find a legend who gives us a keyword to build around, rather than just building around some (admittedly awesome) large flying reptiles.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37096" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/5-resized.png" alt="" width="346" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tasigur, the Golden Fang"></div></div>
<p>There we go! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tasigur, the Golden Fang" href="#" target="_blank">Tasigur, the Golden Fang</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is rather expensive when looking at his CMC, but in all actuality you're rarely casting him for that much thanks to the inclusion of <em>Delve</em>, which gets even better since his activated ability puts more cards into the graveyard. Indeed, in a Sultai deck built around getting things into and out of the graveyard, it's not uncommon to see him come down for a single black mana, even with a few instances of commander tax stacked on him. Speaking of cheap, he's also the first commander on the list under the $10.00 mark, coming in at only 35 cents (as of the posting of this article)!</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37097" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/6-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Omnath, Locus of Rage"></div></div>
<p>Perhaps one of the most popular and most commonplace keywords to grace commander tables everywhere, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omnath, Locus of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Omnath, Locus of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings us one heck of a <em>Landfall</em> trigger in the form of 5/5 Elementals; not only that, but he also gets to tack a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> onto each death trigger. It probably comes as no surprise, then, that Omnath is number 23 on the most popular commanders list. Being rewarded for playing lands, something you were already going to do, looks to be quite powerful on its face, but once you start building decks around it, it gets to a whole other level of ridiculousness.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37098" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/7-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder"></div></div>
<p>Speaking of things you were probably already going to be doing in a game of Commander, how about attacking? Casting spells, maybe? If you do manage to connect with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder" href="#" target="_blank">Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you're rewarded with your spells casting other spells for you! <em>Cascade</em> is another popular keyword, sometimes just acting as a train to value town, while other times finding specific combo pieces through careful manipulation of mana costs in your deck construction. Pairing either of those kinds of upside with four-colors-worth of resources leads to great options, no matter how you swing it.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37099" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/8-resized.png" alt="" width="300" height="238" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow"></div></div>
<p><em>Ninjitsu</em> is a keyword utilized exclusively by the Ninjas of the <em>Kamigawa</em> block. Or at least, it was, up until <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> crashed onto the scene in <em>Commander 2018.</em> Her slightly modified version of the Ninja keyword allows her to play switcheroo from the command zone when one of your creatures attacks and isn't blocked. The resulting combat damage allows both her and any other Ninja who happens to be getting through at the time to pull a reverse <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Confidant" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Confidant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, drawing you a card and having your opponents lose life equal to that card's mana cost. Add to that that the <em>Commander Ninjitsu</em> cost gets around commander tax, and it's not surprising that quite a few folks out there decided on dusting off their old Ninjas.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37100" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/9-resized.png" alt="" width="300" height="195" /></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice"></div></div>
<p>All right, so I may have exaggerated in the intro when I said that all of the new keyword commanders from <em>Commander 2019</em> allowed strategies that weren't possible before. In the case of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghired, Conclave Exile" href="#" target="_blank">Ghired, Conclave Exile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer" href="#" target="_blank">Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it just allowed their keywords to be utilized in new color combinations. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an example of another commander that could helm a deck based around the <em>Populate</em> keyword, which encourages you to play bigger tokens so you can keep on making copies of them. How <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Godsire" href="#" target="_blank">Godsire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> didn't make the cut in the <em>Naya </em>version is a bit beyond me, though....</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37101" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inalla, Archmage Ritualist"></div></div>
<p>And... another <em>Eminence </em>commander, straight out of <em>Commander 2017</em> and warping a power curve near you. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inalla, Archmage Ritualist" href="#" target="_blank">Inalla, Archmage Ritualist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is centered around Wizards rather than keywords, although that doesn't mean you couldn't get up to some serious <em>Prowess</em> shenanigans if you put your mind to it!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Honorable Mentions</h2>
<p>Let's be honest, you're disappointed that a third of this list is <em>Eminence</em> commanders, and so am I. Abilities which operate from the command zone have long been a controversial topic, and the general increase in power level stemming from them is a large part of that controversy. With that in mind, then, let's take a look at what our Top 10 would look like without any cards that have the word "commander" or "command zone" on them. From that list we'll also remove any commanders that share a keyword with another commander in <em>that</em> top 10 (which edges out <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>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xenagos, God of Revels" href="#" target="_blank">Xenagos, God of Revels</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kruphix, God of Horizons" href="#" target="_blank">Kruphix, God of Horizons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Athreos, God of Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Athreos, God of Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Marchesa, the Black Rose"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phenax, God of Deception"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest"></div></div>
<ol>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetor&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetor&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <em>Proliferate</em></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Marchesa" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Marchesa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <em>Monarch</em></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tasigur, the Golden Fang" href="#" target="_blank">Tasigur, the Golden Fang</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <em>Delve</em></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omnath, Locus of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Omnath, Locus of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <em>Landfall</em></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder" href="#" target="_blank">Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <em>Cascade</em></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <em>Populate</em></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marchesa, the Black Rose" href="#" target="_blank">Marchesa, the Black Rose</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <em>Dethrone</em></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phenax, God of Deception" href="#" target="_blank">Phenax, God of Deception</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <em>Devotion</em></li>
<li><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>: <em>Historic</em></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: <em>Prowess</em></li>
</ol>
<p>And there we have it! For those of you confused about our new #10, <em>Prowess</em> was dropped from evergreen status back in <em>Hour of Devastation</em>, allegedly for issues of complexity. That makes me doubt whether bringing back Protection was the right call, but I do still remember the old acronym D.E.B.T. (Damage, Equip/Enchant, Block, and Target), which makes remembering how Protection works a bit easier.</p>
<hr />
<h2>What Do You Think?</h2>
<p>With all of the keyworded commanders out and about from <em>Commander 2019</em>, are you excited that we're expanding on the list above? Are keywords something you'd like to see expanded on when it comes to future commanders, or would you rather <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> broaden their focus a bit?</p>
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<p>And finally, what are keyword mechanics you're building around?</p>
<p>Let us know in the comments, and we'll see you at the Mandatory <em>Monarch</em> tables soon!</p>


Too-Specific Top 10 - Evergreen, Schmevergreen

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eyes of the Watcher" href="#" target="_blank">Eyes of the Watcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://ronspearsart.com/">Ron Spears</a>)</h6>
<h1>The Heist</h1>
<p>Greetings everyone, and welcome back to <em>Monomania</em>. In this article series we build mono-colored decks as a way to explore ramp and draw packages that are synergistic with our particular deck’s strategy, and to challenge staples and misconceptions about the color pie. Today, we’re gathering our crack team to steal everything in sight.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Memnarch"></div></div>
<p>To the untrained eye, Memnarch may seem like an awkward, unreliable card in EDH—too expensive to be effective and difficult to exploit. But it is actually a fair game-ender in conjunction with some variety of infinite mana combo. Given how casually blue can blunder into infinite mana, Memnarch is a powerful commander option in mono-blue.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Palinchron"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Isochron Scepter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grand Architect"></div></div>
<p>The purpose of this commander is to go infinite—there’s no two ways about it. Whether it be with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Palinchron" href="#" target="_blank">Palinchron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadeye Navigator" href="#" target="_blank">Deadeye Navigator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isochron Scepter" href="#" target="_blank">Isochron Scepter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dramatic Reversal" href="#" target="_blank">Dramatic Reversal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Architect" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Architect</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pili-Pala" href="#" target="_blank">Pili-Pala</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we’re packing plenty of ways to steal every permanent our opponents control.</p>
<p>With that in mind, how will we supplement that strategy? While we wait for infinite mana, what will we be doing? We have to plan the perfect heist.</p>
<hr />
<h2><strong>Putting a Plan Together</strong></h2>
<p>When putting together a ramp package for this commander, we have to be very sensitive to its cost. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Memnarch" href="#" target="_blank">Memnarch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> costs seven mana but has no effect on the board without at least another four mana pumped into its second ability. We might as well think about this card as costing eleven mana, because it would feel really bad to shell out seven mana for Memnarch only for it to be removed before we can leverage its abilities. Given how extremely mana-intensive this general is, I have included a total of twenty ramp effects in this deck. With such a high density, we’re hoping to be able to leverage our general’s abilities even without an infinite combo.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sky Diamond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Training grounds"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heartstone"></div></div>
<p>Mana rocks are very important components of our ramp package in this deck. Because we have included the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isochron Scepter" href="#" target="_blank">Isochron Scepter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> + <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dramatic Reversal" href="#" target="_blank">Dramatic Reversal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combo, we need mana rocks to tap and untap unto infinity. The more mana rocks, the better! What’s more, because of the colored mana restriction on our general’s abilities, we need mana rocks that can produce blue mana. <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>, for example, is basically an additional <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sky Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Sky Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Next, we have cards that will reduce the cost of Memnarch’s abilities. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Training Grounds" href="#" target="_blank">Training Grounds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an immediate inclusion in this deck, reducing the cost of our general’s first ability by one generic mana, and the second ability by two. With this enchantment on the battlefield, the entire process of making any permanent an artifact and stealing it will cost a total of four mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heartstone" href="#" target="_blank">Heartstone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plays the same function, though is obviously worse. Even so, because we’re leaning so heavily into our commander, this card still deserves a nod.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vedalken Engineer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blinkmoth Urn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gilded Lotus"></div></div>
<p>I’ve also included a few miscellaneous ramp effects that will work perfectly with Memnarch. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vedalken Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Vedalken Engineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is above the curve for a mana dork, and its restriction is a non-factor in this deck—we will always have outlets for this mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blinkmoth Urn" href="#" target="_blank">Blinkmoth Urn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an extremely potent ramp tool for artifact decks. Even though it has the appearance of symmetry, we will almost always be able to abuse this mana more than our opponents. Once we start stealing our opponents’ artifacts, this card only becomes better. Finally, there’s not much more to be said about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gilded Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Gilded Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It is expensive, but extremely effective.</p>
<hr />
<h2><strong>Assembling the Team</strong></h2>
<p>In this deck, we aren’t really looking to set up a long-term card advantage engine. In this style of deck, we want heavy card filtering. As such, we have a set of draw effects that will allow us to draw at rate that is above-the-curve.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Careful Consideration"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thirst for Knowledge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="One with the Machine"></div></div>
<p>Filtering effects are exactly what we’re looking for, as seen on cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thirst for Knowledge" href="#" target="_blank">Thirst for Knowledge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Careful Consideration" href="#" target="_blank">Careful Consideration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While discarding cards seems like a downside in a deck with no graveyard interaction, we’re looking to craft a winning hand rather than keep our hand as full as possible. Each of these effects dig through our deck at a stellar rate, and allow us to sculpt a hand that will hopefully lead us to victory.</p>
<p>I did acquiesce to a few straightforward draw effects, mainly those that lean into the artifact synergy. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="One With the Machine" href="#" target="_blank">One With the Machine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may seem weak here because I have included few high-cost artifacts, but it has a very high ceiling; if we have our commander on the battlefield, we draw a full seven cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thoughtcast" href="#" target="_blank">Thoughtcast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can also help with some quick refill when we need it. Overall, though, the card advantage we're seeking in this deck isn't with cards in our hand, but by stealing things from our opponents!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trinket Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tribute Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Treasure Mage"></div></div>
<p>The Tri-cycle tutors are extremely powerful in EDH. While these cards only replace themselves and don’t act as card advantage, they each fetch cards that are crucial to our strategy. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trinket Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Trinket Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can fetch <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glaring Spotlight" href="#" target="_blank">Glaring Spotlight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> depending on the moment, whether we need efficient ramp or the ability to steal specific permanents with our commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tribute Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Tribute Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can fetch important combo pieces such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pili-Pala" href="#" target="_blank">Pili-Pala</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isochron Scepter" href="#" target="_blank">Isochron Scepter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or it can nab us <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a pinch. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treasure Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Treasure Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has very few targets, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mycosynth Lattice" href="#" target="_blank">Mycosynth Lattice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> alone makes it worth the inclusion.</p>
<hr />
<h2><strong>The Deck</strong></h2>
<p>Now that we’ve looked through the ramp and draw consideration that are pertinent to this general’s strategies, let’s put it all together with a decklist. If we navigate the waters correctly, we might just get away with the big score.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liquimetal Coating"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Padeem, Consul of Innovation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirrodin Besieged"></div></div>
<p>Among the other notable inclusions, we have a few cards to further facilitate our commander’s abilities, some for protection, and some others just to spice up the playstyle. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liquimetal Coating" href="#" target="_blank">Liquimetal Coating</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a necessary inclusion for us, allowing us to cut down on activation costs to turn our opponents’ stuff into artifacts. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Padeem, Consul of Innovation" href="#" target="_blank">Padeem, Consul of Innovation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an essential protection tool for us, and if it can draw us a card our two, that’s just gravy. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirrodin Besieged" href="#" target="_blank">Mirrodin Besieged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can loot through our deck turn by turn, but it can also add an auxiliary menace to our deck by threatening to knock an opponent out if the game goes long. As always, season to taste.</p>
<p>Here's our master plan! Let the heist begin.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="One Last Job" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Memnarch
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Merchant’s Dockhand
*1 Pili-Pala
*1 Vedalken Engineer
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Grand Architect
*1 Treasure Mage
*1 Tribute Mage
*1 Trinket Mage
*1 Padeem, Consul of Allocation
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Peregrine Drake
*1 Deadeye Navigator
*1 Duplicant
*1 Palinchron
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 High Tide
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Pongify
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Swan Song
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Dramatic Reversal
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Words of Wisdom
*1 Thirst for Knowledge
*1 Aetherize
*1 Careful Consideration
*1 Fact or Fiction
*1 Aetherspouts
*1 Intellectual Offering
*1 Dig Through Time
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Compulsive Research
*1 Fabricate
*1 One With the Machine
*1 Thoughtcast
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Glaring Spotlight
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer’s Bauble
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Coldsteel Heart
*1 Isochron Scepter
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Liquimetal Coating
*1 Sky Diamond
*1 Star Compass
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Coalition Relic
*1 Commander’s Sphere
*1 Extraplanar Lens
*1 Heartstone
*1 Nevinyrral’s Disk
*1 Thran Dynamo
*1 Unwinding Clock
*1 Vedalken Orrery
*1 Blinkmoth Urn
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Caged Sun
*1 Mycosynth Lattic
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Training Grounds
*1 Imprisoned in the Moon
*1 Mirrodin Besieged
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Lighthouse
*1 Darksteel Citadel
*1 Desert of the Mindful
*1 Detection Tower
*1 Inventors’ Fair
*1 Lonely Sandbar
*1 Remote Isle
*1 Scrying Sheets
*1 Seat of the Synod
*28 Snow-Covered Island
*1 Zoetic Cavern
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<p>What do you all think of Memnarch? Have you played it in the 99? Have you ever considered it as a potential commander? Where would you have taken the general? Please let me know in the comments! Remember to EDHREC responsibly: always dig a little beyond the statistics.</p>


Monomania — One Last Job

Conditions Allow - Jaya Ballard, Task Mage

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baird, Steward of Argive" href="#" target="_blank">Baird, Steward of Argive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://christinechoi.artstation.com/">Christine Coi</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p><span id="m_7985745279735501680gmail-docs-internal-guid-971aaafd-7fff-35c2-bef7-2bbb00875c9e">Hello EDHREC fans! 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 build 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'll be taking thing slowly with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baird, Steward of Argive" href="#" target="_blank">Baird, Steward of Argive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Baird, Steward of Argive"></div></div>
<p><strong>Creatures can't attack you or a planeswalker you control unless their controller pays {1} for each of those creatures.</strong></p>
<p>Observation 1:</p>
<p>He's a lock piece in the command zone. This can be quite useful in the right shell, since he'll always be available to us.</p>
<p>Observation 2:</p>
<p>Paying one mana for each attacking creature is not that much of a burden on our enemies. To be effective, we need to stack multiple instances of this type of effect.</p>
<p>Observation 3:</p>
<p>He can be used both aggressively and defensively. When used as an aggro tool, he allows us to attack with less fear of repercussion. When used as a defensive tool, he relieves some of the pressure our enemies might bring.</p>
<p>Observation 4:</p>
<p>Four mana is a lot for a mono-white commander.</p>
<p>Observation 5:</p>
<p>It's a shame that he doesn't have access to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I know that it's a great card and many non-blue decks would also love to play it, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baird, Steward of Argive" href="#" target="_blank">Baird, Steward of Argive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would really appreciate not only the Study's draw ability but also<em> </em>its taxation effect.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Baird-Sig.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-38377 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Baird-Sig.png" alt="" width="604" height="322" /></a>Here we can see that people, by stacking multiple tax effects, try to establish a board state that makes it difficult for their opponents to attack back, or even play cards. This type of support is needed because, as I mentioned before, paying one generic mana to attack isn't that much of an imposition on our enemies.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<p>Baird is a lock piece in the command zone - that is, he prevents them from doing something they probably want to do. He wants to slow the game down and from there take over the game by slowly accruing incremental value. Planeswalkers thrive in this style of gameplay, and the best part is that Baird can help us protect them with his ability. This at first seems like kind of an obvious direction for a Baird deck, but astonishingly, it isn't. The lack of Superfriends decks with Baird at the helm might be a symptom of the his low popularity.</p>
<p>This list will be divided, mainly, in two parts: lock pieces and planeswalkers. The first will stop our enemies from doing what they like, which paves the way for us to do what <em>we </em>like, and for our wincons to slowly grind our opponents out of the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Pharaoh&#039;s Statue"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Peacekeeper"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Torpor Orb"></div></div>
<p>For lock pieces we are looking for ways to enhance our commander's tax ability. These effects may vary from making all spells cost more to play, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sphere of Resistance" href="#" target="_blank">Sphere of Resistance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thorn of Amethyst" href="#" target="_blank">Thorn of Amethyst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="God-Pharaoh&#039;s Statue" href="#" target="_blank">God-Pharaoh&#039;s Statue</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even adding extra copies of Baird's effect with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Norn&#039;s Annex" href="#" target="_blank">Norn&#039;s Annex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archangel of Tithes" href="#" target="_blank">Archangel of Tithes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peacekeeper" href="#" target="_blank">Peacekeeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In a similar fashion, we're also running a creature-hosing kit with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cursed Totem" href="#" target="_blank">Cursed Totem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meekstone" href="#" target="_blank">Meekstone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torpor Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Torpor Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, making it difficult for our opponents to pull ahead in the game.</p>
<p>The last batch of stax is more proactive, opting for a more direct approach to slowing our opponents down. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smokestack" href="#" target="_blank">Smokestack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes them sacrifice a number of permanents each turn; this can be a dangerous card to play, but our deck can easily negate its downside with the sheer number of tokens we can generate with our planeswalkers. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rule of Law" href="#" target="_blank">Rule of Law</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ethersworn Canonist" href="#" target="_blank">Ethersworn Canonist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, at first, each seem a bit like a nonbo with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baird, Steward of Argive" href="#" target="_blank">Baird, Steward of Argive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but consider that each of these cards make recovering from a board wipe extremely difficult.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ugin, the Ineffable"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gideon, Jura"></div></div>
<p>For our planeswalker suite, we're rocking 14. They don't seem like all that much in a vacuum, but once we have a firm grasp on the game they quickly show their value. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a win condition and a board staller. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn, Scion of Urza" href="#" target="_blank">Karn, Scion of Urza</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a way to generate card advantage, and he has the added benefit of providing a body to block when necessary. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn, the Great Creator" href="#" target="_blank">Karn, the Great Creator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works as both a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Rod" href="#" target="_blank">Null Rod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect and a small clock. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teyo, the Shieldmage" href="#" target="_blank">Teyo, the Shieldmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a nice addition that can help block on the ground by providing a couple of Walls and giving us hexproof. <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> is one of the best planeswalkers available to us; he draws us cards, provides chump blockers, and he has a little bit of mana acceleration built in, making him a true all-around card.</p>
<p>Aside from the main structure of the deck, there're a few support cards that are worth mentioning: <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>, and <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> are the <em>Proliferate</em> on-demand cards, which is very helpful when trying to sustain our planeswalkers. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karmic Justice" href="#" target="_blank">Karmic Justice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes it very dangerous for our opponents to destroy any of our lockdown pieces. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arena Rector" href="#" target="_blank">Arena Rector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a nice way to cheat into play one of our bigger planeswalkers (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn Liberated" href="#" target="_blank">Karn Liberated</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, the Spirit Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div id="mtgh_34bc4" class="mtgh">
<div class="header"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Baird Superfriend Prison" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Baird, Steward of Argive
[/Commander]
[Planeswalker]
*Gideon of the Trials
*Teyo, the Shieldmage
*Ajani, Strength of the Pride
*Elspeth, Knight-Errant
*Gideon, Champion of Justice
*Karn, Scion of Urza
*Karn, the Great Creator
*The Wanderer
*Elspeth Tirel
*Gideon Jura
*Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion
*Ugin, the Ineffable
*Karn Liberated
*Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
[/Planeswalker]
[Artifact]
*Everflowing Chalice
*Meekstone
*Relic of Progenitus
*Sol Ring
*Coldsteel Heart
*Cursed Totem
*Fellwar Stone
*Heart of Kiran
*Marble Diamond
*Mind Stone
*Pearl Medallion
*Prismatic Lens
*Sphere of Resistance
*Thorn of Amethyst
*Torpor Orb
*Treasure Map
*Winter Orb
*Extraplanar Lens
*Hedron Archive
*Smokestack
*The Chain Veil
*Norn&#039;s Annex
*Caged Sun
*Contagion Engine
*God-Pharaoh&#039;s Statue
[/Artifact]
[Enchantment]
*Land Tax
*Dawn of Hope
*Luminarch Ascension
*Rest in Peace
*Grasp of Fate
*Karmic Justice
*Oath of Gideon
*Rule of Law
*Smothering Tithe
[/Enchantment]
[Creature]
*Ethersworn Canonist
*Peacekeeper
*Archangel of Tithes
*Arena Rector
[/Creature]
[Instant]
*Enlightened Tutor
*Path to Exile
*Swords to Plowshares
*Disenchant
*White Sun&#039;s Zenith
*Ignite the Beacon
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Fragmentize
*Call the Gatewatch
*Day of Judgment
*Wrath of god
*Austere Command
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Ancient Tomb
*Buried Ruin
*Inventors&#039; Fair
*Karn&#039;s Bastion
*Ghost Quarter
*Tectonic Edge
*Secluded Steppe
*29 Snow-Covered Plains
[/Land]"></span></div></div>
<div></div>
<div>
<hr />
</div>
<p>The biggest issue with the list, and with mono-white in general, is the lack of card draw; this makes our games somewhat dependent on starting hands and/or lucking out with our draws. Aside from that, the deck runs pretty smoothly, with lots of answers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="White Sun&#039;s Zenith"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Luminarch Ascension"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dawn of Hope"></div></div>
<p>Aside from the aforementioned wincons, we can still win the game by beating down our opponents with tokens. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="White Sun&#039;s Zenith" href="#" target="_blank">White Sun&#039;s Zenith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great flexible finisher that can be cashed out early in the game if needed. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Luminarch Ascension" href="#" target="_blank">Luminarch Ascension</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a good constant source of tokens. It's reasonably easy to get online, but still we shouldn't be slamming it down until we can protect ourselves.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
<p>For our opening hand, we want some sort of acceleration and a lock piece; the planeswalkers can come later on. The most important part here is curving out well and making sure our own lockdown and taxation effects don't affect our own board.</p>
<p>In the early game, we need to accelerate our mana by playing our mana rocks. The difference between playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smokestack" href="#" target="_blank">Smokestack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even any random planeswalker on turn three instead of turn four is huge, because that could give our opponents the time they need to pull ahead of us. In many cases, there's no coming back from that especially against ramp-heavy decks.</p>
<p>By the mid-game, we should hope to have assembled some sort of combination of lockdown effects. Having multiple of those is really important because, when alone, they are usually only a small nuisance, but together, they absolutely prevent our enemies from playing effectively. This is usually the time when we need to start thinking about playing planeswalkers, and our decision to play or not should be based on board state and whether or not we can protect them. Sometimes, if we have multiple in hand, we can try to test the waters, but I would take caution since we can't recover them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gideon, Champion of Justice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ignite the Beacon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Chain Veil"></div></div>
<p>By the late game it becomes a bit easier to take over the board with an active planeswalker or two. By this point most of the creature-heavy decks have already lost gas because of our numerous board wipes. However, our taxing effects can become obsolete quite quickly (that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rule of Law" href="#" target="_blank">Rule of Law</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't all that threatening once people are in top-deck mode), and the "political tool" that we lose by playing this kind of deck can be too much for us to recover from. Be very precise with your timing, both when you choose to deploy the tax and stax effects <em>and </em>when you choose to deploy your win conditions. That's how you'll emerge victorious.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<p>This list was light on the token subtheme; going forward, I could see how investing more oon the token strategy could be enjoyable. Alternatively, we could go the other way around and opt for more of a "hatebears" approach with effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia, Guardian of Thraben" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia, Guardian of Thraben</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leonin Arbiter" href="#" target="_blank">Leonin Arbiter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Adding mass land destruction spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armageddon" href="#" target="_blank">Armageddon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can also be quite effective at locking people out of the game; just be sure to check with your playgroup if they're okay with it, since it's not everyone's cup of tea.</p>
<p>If you feel that you're getting aggro'd by the table, investing into more board wipes and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Prison" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Prison</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects might help taking the edge off you.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Helm of the Host"></div></div>
<p>One fun little "combo" that I see very often is equipping <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of the Host" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of the Host</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to our commander. This might be a bit clunky, but it's fun and should be considered when investing heavily into tokens.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment!</em> What do you think about this list? Did it manage to defend our planeswalkers? Do you have any questions about the deck? 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>


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