<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxrill, the Corrosive|vow|321" href="#" target="_blank">Toxrill, the Corrosive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Illustrated by <a href="https://www.arborcollective.com/pages/artist-dzo?srsltid=AfmBOoq88Htz5Kb_8wwnksTHKNVyZ5ZIJP9MCDiiKkz8h6Z72oQOd4tn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DZO</a></em></p>
<p>Every so often, a commander comes along that is so salt-inducing that players often refuse to play against it outright. Commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nadu, Winged Wisdom" href="#" target="_blank">Nadu, Winged Wisdom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord High Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord High Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both spring to mind here.</p>
<p>Thankfully, <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> has relegated many of these commanders to the <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changer list</a>. However, many still exist as lesser bogeymen to the format.</p>
<p>In today's article, I'll examine five salty commanders <em>not</em> on the Game Changer list and discern whether they're too salty to remain excluded.</p>
<h2>#5. Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant"></div></div>
<p>The antagonist of the <em>Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty</em> set, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a formidable and consistently frustrating commander to face off against. As such, it's #5 out of the most tilting non-Game Changer commanders in <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/salt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EDHREC's Salt Score Summary</a>.</p>
<p>However, it ranks just above the #5 saltiest Game Changer, Urza, Lord High Artificer. To be a saltier card than Urza feels like an invitation to join the Game Changer list all on its own.</p>
<h3><strong>Verdict: Deserves the Hate (For Its Rank)</strong></h3>
<p>Let's face facts here, dear reader. In <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>, players like to be able to make their plays and not be denied. Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant does not allow many players to play their game the way they want. In fact, the Praetor just allows one player, its controller, to accelerate their game.</p>
<p>Yes, he costs <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-5" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. No, that is not insurmountable, even from the command zone, or even in lower brackets. Yes, his abilities only trigger once per turn. No, that doesn't stop those abilities from being oppressive.</p>
<p>However, all these factors firmly in mind, there are other cards that deserve the hate even more than Jin-Gitaxias, and they're all above them in rank. Plus, it's a bit of a steep hill to get to the #4 rank and above. Let's look at those cards!</p>
<h2>#4. Toxrill, the Corrosive</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Toxrill, the Corrosive"></div></div>
<p>The #4 saltiest non-Game Changer commander is, ironically, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxrill, the Corrosive" href="#" target="_blank">Toxrill, the Corrosive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a Slug.</p>
<p>Toxrill is relatively disgusting as a control card with a blue-black (Dimir) color identity. Capable of decimating entire boards of creatures within a turn cycle while propagating their own, the pod will often need to deal with a Toxrill player before Toxrill hits the battlefield.</p>
<p>What's more, Toxrill can turn many of those Slug tokens it makes into card advantage for very little investment.</p>
<h3>Verdict: Deserves the Hate (For Its Rank)</h3>
<p>The argument for Toxrill to remain as hated as it is comes from the notion that players can't keep a creature on the board for very long while the Slug Horror is in play.</p>
<p>Again, it boils down to players liking to make valid, impactful plays. There's a certain endorphin rush to making a big play in <em>Magic</em>, and to strip a player of that resolution is rough.</p>
<p>With a vast number of Commander decks running a decent number of creatures, those plays are often diminished by a timely (or persistent) board cleansing, such as in Toxrill's case.</p>
<h2>#3. Emrakul, the Promised End</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emrakul, the Promised End"></div></div>
<p>Mama Emrakul is an important character in the <em>Magic</em> storyline, and players like to use their favorite characters to command their Commander decks. But is that enough to justify Emrakul's usage as a salty commander? Signs point to "no," dear readers.</p>
<p>Even with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul, the Promised End" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul, the Promised End</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s restrictive colorless identity, an Emrakul pilot will often find ways to make the deck work, even potentially casting Emrakul for much less mana than she costs.</p>
<h3>Verdict: Doesn't Deserve the Hate</h3>
<p>Emrakul, the Promised End is a very strong colorless commander, but she doesn't deserve to be viewed as saltier than Game Changer commander options. The Eldrazi Titan that players should assess as a bigger threat is probably <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Emrakul performs a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindslaver" href="#" target="_blank">Mindslaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> operation on a player, yes, but if that player survives the turn, they get an extra turn to do reasonable amounts of damage control and even advance their board state further. That seems pretty fair for something so seemingly oppressive.</p>
<h2>#2. Sheoldred, the Apocalypse</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, the Apocalypse"></div></div>
<p>Sheoldred's second iteration, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheoldred, the Apocalypse" href="#" target="_blank">Sheoldred, the Apocalypse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, is a card that people malign, perhaps unfairly, partly due to her price. Similarly to how <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Meathook Massacre" href="#" target="_blank">The Meathook Massacre</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beseech the Mirror" href="#" target="_blank">Beseech the Mirror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> quickly spiked during preorders, Sheoldred shot up in price quickly even though <em>Dominaria United</em> was a widely printed Standard-legal set.</p>
<p>Since then, she's seen reprints in a variety of other Standard-legal set releases. Despite these, she is <em>still</em> exorbitantly expensive for the more casual or discerning Commander player! However, much of the reason she spiked was in her abilities, even more than her novelty as a Phyrexian Praetor.</p>
<p>Being able to reward doing normal things in a <em>Magic</em> game while punishing your opponents for doing the same is impactful. There's a reason players may sometimes rush to remove a copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Dreams" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Dreams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that's affecting them after long enough. The same principle can apply to Sheoldred, the Apocalypse.</p>
<h3>Verdict: Deserves Less Hate Than It Gets</h3>
<p>Sheoldred's ability suite, while oppressive and punishing to natural gameplay, doesn't stop opponents from playing their game. Opponents staring down Sheoldred can still cast removal before their opponent has broken their matronly centipede commander. With cards like Urza and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Arbiter Augustin IV" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Arbiter Augustin IV</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in ranks near Sheoldred, it feels weird to lump her in with the rest of the salt.</p>
<p>This brings us to the #1 saltiest commander that isn't a Game Changer. What legendary creature has this distinction, and is it worthy of the hate that it receives? Let's look!</p>
<h2>#1 Saltiest Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hokori, Dust Drinker"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hokori, Dust Drinker" href="#" target="_blank">Hokori, Dust Drinker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the single saltiest non-Game Changer legendary creature on EDHREC's Salt Score Summary. As a creature with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-style effect, it can grind games down to a screeching halt. It's the 22nd-most salty card on the Salt Score Summary overall, and with an ability like it has, my final verdict on Hokori stands to reason.</p>
<h3>Verdict: Deserves the Hate It Gets, and More!</h3>
<p>If you've ever played against a Winter Orb, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Static Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Static Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or any of the other variants of this kind of card, you'll know right away that Hokori, Dust Drinker needs to be focused on immediately.</p>
<p>Many of these kinds of effects are on the Game Changer list. Because of this fact, I don't anticipate that Hokori will stay off of that list for long. For now, though, let's all do our part and remove Hokori from the game as often as possible. And remember, player removal is also permanent removal!</p>
<p>So now, let's hear from you, dear readers. Do you think there are any saltier non-Game Changer commanders to look at in the future? How do you typically deal with such cards? And do you play with any of them yourself? Sound off below!</p>


Do These Five Salt-Inducing Commanders Deserve the Hate?

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Grand Unifier" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Grand Unifier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/martanael" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marta Nael</a></em></p>
<p>The problem with eternal formats is that they're, well, eternal. Outside of bans for cards that break the format, as soon as a <em>Magic</em> card is printed, you can play it in Commander. And you can play that card in Commander forever.</p>
<p>Now this is of course one of the appeals of the format. There are many beloved cards that have lost their playability as they've been rotated out of Standard or power crept out of longer formats like Modern. And those cards are special to a lot of players. They're filled with joyful memories of pro tour victories or janky decks brought to weeklies that punched above their weight.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tenacious Underdog"></div></div>
<p>It's great that these deckless cards can find a home in the game's most popular format. And that also goes for all those super cool designs that just didn't quite make a splash in more competitive formats.</p>
<p>Super flavorful bombs that were just a bit too expensive. Super niche strategies that didn't have enough of a payoff in their environments. They can all find a purpose at the helm of a Commander deck. Or in their 99.</p>
<p>But eternal formats are eternal. And cards never go out of rotation. For every fun and flavorful include you want to slot into your deck, there's an outrageously powerful alternative. Staples that just outperform their peers in almost every situation. Cards that are just begging to be played and may never be topped. And, save for a ban, they won't ever leave the format.</p>
<h2>Ubiquitous Commanders</h2>
<p>There's a similar situation with the commanders that helm a good chunk of the decks in the format.</p>
<p>Legendary creatures can be popular as a commander for a multitude of reasons. It could be that they're a really flavorful champion for your favorite creature type. They could be the only option for certain archetypes in the color identity you want to play.</p>
<p>But let's be honest. Most of the top 100 commanders on EDHREC are there because of their overwhelming strength.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Ur-Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Edgar Markov"></div></div>
<p>You only need to look at the current top three to see just how powerful the most popular commanders are. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <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> might as well be the boogie-men of the entire format. Two of them are sporting <em>eminence</em>, one of the most busted keywords ever printed on a legendary creature.</p>
<h3>Tantalizing Power</h3>
<p>The fact is, players are drawn to powerful decks. They want the cards in their hand to do as much as possible for as little investment as possible. And the same obviously goes for the creature leading your deck. There's nothing inherently wrong with that fact, of course. If you want to play high power games, there's no reason you shouldn't.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overrun"></div></div>
<p>The problem lies with the homogenization of the format as a result. I'm sure we've all seen <em>Magic's </em>most recent top eight where every deck present was one of two versions of playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Monstrous Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Monstrous Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's an overwhelmingly powerful card and it almost demands you play it. As a result, it made up half of the decks present at the tournament, and the entirety of the top eight.</p>
<p>I'm sure we've also heard the same protestations from an opponent at our table that cries, "No don't worry, this isn't like other Atraxa decks! I promise!"</p>
<h2>From Commanders to Legends</h2>
<p>So what would happen in a world where the top 100 commanders of the format were banned from play? What if when a commander became too ubiquitous, it was removed from the format? It might seem a little far fetched, but there is actually already a precedent in one of <em>Magic's </em>competitors.</p>
<p>In <em>Flesh and Blood</em>, there's a Commander-like hero system in play in all formats. In the fiction of the game, you aren't controlling legions of soldiers and dragons, but instead a single character. Which means no matter if it's competitive or casual, you'll have a commander at the helm of your deck. And of course, some of these characters are stronger than others.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flesh Duplicate"></div></div>
<p>But the system in which <em>Flesh and Blood </em>deals with that is an interesting counterpart to <em>Magic </em>due to something called the <em>Living Legend</em> system. The long and short of it is, whenever a hero receives a competitive victory at an official tournament, they receive points. Winning their World Championship with one hero for example, would net that hero 100 points. And that's for everyone playing that hero, it doesn't matter who wins with them.</p>
<p>Once a hero hits the threshold of 1000 points, they'll reach what's called <em>Living Legend</em> status. Essentially, they'll be immortalized as being really bloody good and then removed entirely from standard competitive play.</p>
<h2>So What About Commander?</h2>
<p>So would a feature like this work in Commander? If a deck became too heavily played we either shelved the commander or put them into a separate format? But most importantly, what would happen to the format if that were the case? Would it be a change for the better? Or go against everything Commander stands for?</p>
<p>For one, the players of the most powerful decks would need to find an alternative. If their commander is no longer legal, they'll have to find a replacement or switch decks entirely.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lathril, Blade of the Elves"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chatterfang, Squirrel General"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Mob Boss"></div></div>
<p>One positive of this fantasy world we're imagining is that typal decks, one of the most popular archetypes in Commander where you build around a single creature type, might get a good shakeup. A lot of the creature types in <em>Magic</em> have a default best option to lead their charge.</p>
<h3>Driving Players Nuts</h3>
<p>It shouldn't be hard to figure out which type <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chatterfang, Squirrel General" href="#" target="_blank">Chatterfang, Squirrel General</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is often played at the helm of. But it is quite hard to justify anyone else in his place as he gives you so much value for playing Squirrel-based strategies. At the time of writing there's just under 20k Chatterfang decks registered on EDHREC.</p>
<p>But despite coming from a set released last year that dedicated a fifth of its card collection to Squirrel typal, Bloomburrow commander <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Camellia, the Seedmiser" href="#" target="_blank">Camellia, the Seedmiser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sees only 3.5k players.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Camellia, the Seedmiser"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hazel of the Rootbloom"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Odd Acorn Gang"></div></div>
<p>You do have to wonder how many people might have built her, or some of the other Squirrel options, if Chatterfang weren't such an obvious, go-to option.</p>
<h3>Scaling Impossible Odds</h3>
<p>By far the most popular creature type in all of <em>Magic </em>is the fantasy staple of Dragons. There's a whopping 65,322 Dragon Commander decks on this website at the time of writing. But half of those decks play the same two commanders:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Ur-Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm"></div></div>
<p>And both of those commanders are in the top 100 across the format. Imagine the increase in diversity of Commander decks as a whole if all those players started branching out into different commanders because we all just admitted that maybe <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been figured out already.</p>
<p>And imagine all of the cool commanders that don't see much play which might get a second chance?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zurgo and Ojutai"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rith, Liberated Primeval"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Klauth, Unrivaled Ancient"></div></div>
<h3>Goblin' Up the Competition</h3>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another big offender in this region. And he represents a double problem as not just a Goblin commander but also propping up pretty much any strategy that asks for token spamming. He's just one of the most efficient ways in the format to dump a load of creatures on the board.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Mob Boss"></div></div>
<p>Looking at Goblin commanders specifically, Krenko is a ridiculous 16k decks ahead of the second place commander. If a new legendary Goblin is printed into the card pool, unless it can serve in Krenko's 99, it basically doesn't ever get a look in.</p>
<h2>Gone But Not Forgotten</h2>
<p>It's worth pointing out that <em>Flesh and Blood</em> heroes aren't just dead forever as soon as they become too powerful. They're essentially moved to a different format where players can continue to battle with and against the most powerful heroes of all time. I'm not much of a <em>Flesh and Blood</em> player myself, but I assume it's sort of like playing Vintage in <em>MTG</em>. A format full of crazy powerful cards with massive amounts of history and prestige.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crypt of the Eternals"></div></div>
<p>One of the potential, less disruptive, paths for a move like this from <em>Wizards of the Coast </em>would be to consider adding overplayed and overpowered commanders to the <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a> list. In fact, three of the top 100 most popular commanders are already on the list: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord High Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord High Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <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>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza, Lord High Artificer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy"></div></div>
<p>These cards can have an absolutely devastating effect on the balance of a Commander game when they're piloted correctly. Sometimes more suited to cEDH than regular old Commander, they've been rightfully added to the list. But you have to wonder how many other legends in the top 100 could arguably be given the same treatment.</p>
<p>Is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a Game Changer? How about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, Brazen Outlaw" href="#" target="_blank">Magda</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? She's one of the most popular commanders in cEDH!</p>
<h2>We Can But Dream</h2>
<p>This is all of course, speculation. And I'm not even sure I would want commanders to be banned outright. EDH is the format of choice of course, and a healthy discussion at the table can lead to a wonderful world where everyone gets to play <em>Magic </em>in the way they want.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wrath of God"></div></div>
<p>But I do think it's an interesting thing to imagine, and something we could maybe find a healthy middle ground for in the future. If the top 100 commanders in the format were banned tomorrow, how many of your decks would go missing? Or would you be safe?</p>
<p>And if you had to replace your affected commanders, what legends would you reach for instead?</p>
<p>We often talk about the health of other formats ad nauseam, but how often do you consider the "health" of EDH?</p>
<p>Regardless, whoever you have sat in the command zone, there's nothing like a little self reflection. Let me know your thoughts on this hypothetical in the comments below!</p>
<p></p>
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What Would Happen If We Retired the Most Popular Commanders?

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tiamat" href="#" target="_blank">Tiamat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Illustrated by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CChris+Rahn%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Rahn</a></em></p>
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<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?</p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"</p>
<p>I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza, aka Mark Carbonza, and my friend wants to show you his cool new thing!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alpharael, Dreaming Acolyte"></div></div>
<p><i>Ouhhh, yeah Alphie, very fancy!</i></p>
<p>This week, is win rate a reason to go for someone?</p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
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<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
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<p><em>Hey guys, long time listener, first time writer. I had a scenario I was hoping you can help me with and determine if I was the Bolas. This happened a while back at my local LGS at a free play Commander night. I found a group that needed a fourth and sat down and played three games with them.</em></p>
<p><em>The first game was mostly uneventful; someone won with a combo they stumbled into involving energy and infinite combat.</em></p>
<p><em>The second game we played, the same player ended up winning again. This one was a little interesting because I was playing mill and they told me they were playing a deck that wanted cards in the graveyard but I figured if I could mill them quick enough, it would be fine (I was running a deck that blinks <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyruda, Doom of Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Gyruda, Doom of Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a bunch), but they got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Konrad, the Grim" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Konrad, the Grim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> out and could recur it pretty reliably.</em></p>
<p><em>We go to game three and it's the end of the night, so I get out my end of the night <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tiamat" href="#" target="_blank">Tiamat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck (pre-Tarkir: Dragonstorm). I don't remember what the other player was running but once I ramped up and got Tiamat out, I started attacking them first by sending Tiamat and another Dragon at them, I think it was 11 damage or so, this was because by this point, I know they are a good player and wanted to start up a blow for blow situation with them. I wanted to make 'em work for it. As I declare my two Dragons as attackers at the player, they become very defensive and explain another similar situation where someone in their pod had basically said this player was a better deck builder than them and was targeting them specifically. </em></p>
<p><em>I felt bad and I could tell the player was genuinely upset so I apologized and told them I would spread my damage to other places as the game goes on to not single them out. Fast forward a couple of turns and I am clearly the threat but the player is definitely next in line. Well, someone else at the table is playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thantis, the Warweaver" href="#" target="_blank">Thantis, the Warweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> so now I have to attack with everything. I declared my attackers in such a way that if I connect, I'll win. The player then casts a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect for themselves as the other two players are knocked out and since Thantis made me attack with everything, I've got shields down. They easily swoop in and take me out, winning game three as well. After the games, the player is pretty chill and we end up talking about the games. <strong>No hard feelings were had but I'm wondering if I was the Bolas for assessing threats based on previous games or if my threat assessment was reasonable.</strong></em></p>
<p><em>Thank you for your time and sorry for the mountain of text.</em></p>
<p><em>Manky</em></p>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Syr Konrad, the Grim"></div></div>
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<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.</p>
<p>Thanks for reading the column and listening to the podcast, Manky. Let's get into this submission, already!</p>
<p>First off, you've seen a bunch of submissions and this isn't the mountain of text you think it is! I reject your apology, it's wholly unnecessary. Also, if a submission is long, it's long! Who cares, as long as it's a good story? Let me worry about the length. <em>(Editors' note: more like let </em>us<em> worry about the length...)</em></p>
<p>Threat assessment is a hot topic here at <em>Am I The Bolas?</em>, and it's because people doubt their ability to do it right. It's easy to be uncertain given all the things you need to keep track of: the social aspect of Commander, typically three times the regular amount of opponents with all their stuff, and of course, players' reactions to plays in EDH.</p>
<p>What I mean here is that when a player gets defensive of your targeting of them, whether they're trying to or not, they are sowing doubt in your decision-making. It can even be minimizing tactic some employ to get you to bend to the unspoken rules of the format where "we're all trying to have fun." (Luckily, it doesn't always work.)</p>
<p>I encourage folks to openly admit when they are the threat. It'll add to your credibility for when you need to point out threats at the table, but at the same time, honesty is a good way to get invited back. Not to mention, if a newer player is at the table, I think the better way to show them the ropes is through genuine interaction rather than to "teach 'em a lesson."</p>
<p>Threat assessment is often talked about regarding in-game information, but that's not the only part of it. Threat assessment with information in-game is definitely a little easier. It's pretty easy to say that the player with a huge board that threatens to attack you after playing a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ruinous Ultimatum" href="#" target="_blank">Ruinous Ultimatum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is more of a threat than the player who also got their board wrecked like yours.</p>
<p>Whether it's a game win or a personal victory like trying to pull off a particular interaction, you've got in-game information that tells you what hurdles you'll need to jump over to get there. Will <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rest in Peace" href="#" target="_blank">Rest in Peace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> need to be dealt with if I'm playing a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teysa Karlov" href="#" target="_blank">Teysa Karlov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck? I'd say so!</p>
<p>You ask yourself, "Who is most likely to get me off my plan or win before I can execute?"</p>
<p>The information you gain from a step back from the current board state is still good to consider. With more sample data, you'll more reliably draw some conclusions.</p>
<p>Breaking it down that way, you've observed this player to be notably more adept at winning the game. When a player has a 100% win rate at a table after one game, they've won <em>one </em>game - cool, let's shuffle up. When they win the second game, they've stood out as player who's demonstrated they have what it takes to win. They're a winner.</p>
<p>If <em>they're</em> a winner, <em>I</em> can't be a winner. Now, I must do everything I can to make sure I improve my chances at winning. The clearest obstruction to that in the past two games has been this player, so wouldn't I have to keep a closer eye on what they do if I'm trying to win?</p>
<p>It is totally fair to acknowledge the pilot in your threat assessment beyond just what's in-game. It's reasonable to keep an eye on the player who's been winning all night!</p>
<p>Not the Bolas.</p>
<p>Especially since you guys have had a chat and you've acknowledged your feelings on the matter and apologized for it. All on good terms! Ultimately, it doesn't quite matter what I have to say as long as you end up having a chat with someone and come out on the other side happier for it. Thanks for writing in!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gyruda, Doom of Depths"></div></div>


Am I The Bolas? - Win Rate Threat Assessment

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slinn Voda, the Rising Deep" href="#" target="_blank">Slinn Voda, the Rising Deep</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/rutkowski" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grzegorz Rutkowski</a></em></p>
<p>Each color in <em>Magic</em> has its own strengths and weaknesses. This is one of the first things you learn about the game when you start and is what keeps most people playing for years.</p>
<p>A green deck will have more mana than you thought was possible and so many creature tokens that you run out of board space. By turn two they’ll have as many lands on the board as you have in your deck. And every new land will trigger all of their hundreds of +1/+1 counters to double.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Llanowar Elves"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bristly Bill, Spine Sower"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div></div>
<p>Though there are certain decks that throw this away and try new things, such as this series suggests. Such green players will control the board state with a non-combat engine, shaping the flow of play and dictating what everyone is and isn’t able to do.</p>
<p>They’ll probably have far too many artifacts and enchantments, to boot.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Deck of Many Things"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The First Iroan Games"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Epic Struggle"></div></div>
<h2>What Is Playing “Out Of Type?”</h2>
<p><em>Magic</em> is a game that doesn’t just allow for, but is fundamentally built around, the idea that each color is “special.” But that doesn’t mean you’re forced to play a specific way. While white has creature removal and black has its ways of gaining life, those are exceptions to the traditional ways of playing.</p>
<p>Red might be good at rush-down aggro strategies, but that doesn’t mean it <em>can't</em> play the long-con. It’s just not what the majority of its cards are designed around.</p>
<p>Playing out of type or “off-color” is throwing away those staple cards the color is known for and focusing on oddities that barely fit within the color pie. It’s less a matter of finding secret sleeper hits and more so turning table scraps into a meal.</p>
<p>And depending on what you grab or how good of cook you are, that can lead to something pretty compelling!</p>
<h2>A Quick Disclaimer</h2>
<p>You probably won’t win doing this, even at non-competitive pods or low brackets. After all, you’re going out of your way to ignore the best cards in your color.</p>
<p>But would you rather play the same rote deck over and over until the meta shifts, or actually have fun trying something new?</p>
<p>To properly play off-color, you have to go into a game with the mindset that you want to have fun. Winning certainly is fun and some of my favorite games of <em>Magic</em> have been desperate struggles to combat an excellent player with a finely-tuned deck.</p>
<p>But there’s more than one way to have fun, and so many people get lost in how competitive this game is. So talk to your gaming group, set up a Bracket 1 or 2 game, and get deckbuilding something no sane person would ever craft.</p>
<p>Because it’s one thing to skip the counters and the card draw and the milling blue is known for. There are plenty of strategies you can employ that will still control the board state without employing any of those. It’s another thing entirely to focus on creature-spam aggro builds where you crash out if you don’t win by turn four.</p>
<p>Oh, yeah, stompy’s coming over to blue.</p>
<h2>What Blue Does Well</h2>
<h3>Ruining Players’ Fun</h3>
<p>Blue’s largest strength, at least within the <em>Magic</em> community, is ruining the fun of other players. That’s really all you need to know. But the obligatory bashing aside, blue is fantastic at controlling the board state.</p>
<p>Counterspells are the most obvious example, in literally allowing you to remove the ability for opponents to cast spells. That type of card is called a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a reason.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Negate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcane Denial"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse"></div></div>
<p>But blue has other means of completely disrupting opponents’ plans. Flickers, or cards that remove a permanent only to return it immediately after, destroy the potential of developing strong creatures. Similarly, blue excels at returning cards to their owner’s hand — yours or your opponents’.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghostly Flicker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slinn Voda, the Rising Deep"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Leviathan"></div></div>
<p>Then there’s the many abilities blue has which tap, restrain, or otherwise render inert permanents without removing them from the board. This can be a minor inconvenience or shut down a strategy depending on how it’s played. At its least useful, it can buy the blue player a few more turns. Which, by itself, is quite a good thing to do!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aboshan, Cephalid Emperor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lorthos, the Tidemaker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breaching Leviathan"></div></div>
<p>And, of course, blue has the ability to mill your cards out from under you. Which you might be able to respond to… if you can draw a response before it’s removed from your library.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Mindskinner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bruvac the Grandiloquent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fractured Sanity"></div></div>
<h3>Deck Manipulation</h3>
<p>Drawing extra cards is one of the powerful things to do in <em>Magic</em>, and blue just so happens to be the color most suited towards doing that. While its mana production isn’t stellar in comparison to green, the sheer flexibility you’ll have available is astounding.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jin-Gitaxias"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azami, Lady of Scrolls"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Memories Returning"></div></div>
<p>Not only that, but blue is also home to the scry and surveil keywords. While it lacks the consistency of tutors that black has, being able to alter which cards you’re about to draw is powerful in its own right. Then combine that with the ability to draw more and you have a scary degree of control over your deck.</p>
<h3>Copying</h3>
<p>Copying spells and/or permanents is almost entirely relegated to the realm of blue. While red can double-up on its spells by copying instants or sorceries, blue has the ability to wholesale recreate permanents. With shapeshifters and copycats abound, even if blue doesn’t have the answer to a problem it can oftentimes just copy that problem and have it solve itself in the most literal sense.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orvar, the All-Form"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Relm&#039;s Sketching"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sakashima the Impostor"></div></div>
<h2>But What If…You Play a Blue Deck Where You Ungabunga to Victory?</h2>
<p>Blue requires a certain level of skill to properly utilize, particularly when you’re not able to rely on the other colors. So what if you just… didn’t? Didn’t plan or think or strategize. You just cosplayed a green player and got the biggest numbers you could find without considering the consequences of your actions.</p>
<p>And to my surprise, it’s actually not that hard!</p>
<h3>Creatures!</h3>
<p>While blue certainly isn’t the most aggressive color, it has access to creatures which are no joke, primarily Serpents, Krakens, and Leviathans. There’s far more heavy hitters than I gave blue credit for before writing this.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Watcher in the Water"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tromokratis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stormtide Leviathan"></div></div>
<p>Or just getting more creatures when playing other spells.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Murmuring Mystic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shark Typhoon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hermes, Overseer of Elpis"></div></div>
<p>Then, of course, there’s the synergy this has with other creatures, such the various Merfolk. Or just Merfolk and Faeries having typal synergies in general. And while chain-synergy between different creature types is a little too high-IQ for what we’re going for, it’s certainly not “stereotypically blue.”</p>
<p>So I say it should be fine!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Svyelun of Sea and Sky"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Talrand, Sky Summoner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alandra, Sky Dreamer"></div></div>
<h3>Sustainability</h3>
<p>Something I don’t think of when I imagine blue decks is sustainability. They can control the board state and stay flexible in their options, but they have a certain fragility to the decks most of the time.</p>
<p>If you can get a strong board presence and somehow stave off that presence being removed, most blue decks can’t effectively respond.</p>
<p>Thus, we must include cards in off-blue to keep the deck going through the fights we’ll be starting.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Staff of the Mind Magus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="High Tide"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kraken&#039;s Eye"></div></div>
<h3>Group Hug?</h3>
<p>My light-hearted bashing of blue earlier was really just to indicate that there’s a bit of a stigma against blue players. They’re assumed to be control players so they’re associated with ruining the fun of other players. Which isn’t always true!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kami of the Crescent Moon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braids, Conjurer Adept"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcum Dagsson"></div></div>
<p>So to put your best foot forward in off-blue, I propose engaging in group hug. That is to say, offer benefits to other players.</p>
<p>No one will likely trust you due to the aforementioned suspicion. Good. Let them be suspicious.</p>
<p>Play it straight, don’t feel the need to politic or turn it around on them in the end. Just be nice to the other players and see what happens. Very quickly they'll realize you aren't the threat and will devote resources to the other players.</p>
<p>And <em>that's</em> when you strike.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magic Damper"></div></div>
<h2>Blue Has Depth</h2>
<p>Maybe this was just my own experience with the color, but I hadn’t really considered just how good blue is at all the non-control options available to them.</p>
<p>Certainly, control is quite popular in blue because it’s quite effective. Most decks can’t respond quickly enough to being milled to put up a fight. Voltron gets shut down hard by flickers. Stompy and aggro either win fast or not at all.</p>
<p>So blue doesn’t often have much of an incentive to experiment outside of what works.</p>
<p>However, there’s real potential in off-blue for other, more aggressive playstyles. They don’t see as much play given they’re competing with the top of class, but they really aren’t the self-imposed restriction I assumed they’d be.</p>
<p>If you want to play off-blue, you’re in for a good time. You’ll be purposely holding yourself back from some of the best cards in the game, but that’s the case with playing out of type for any color.</p>
<p>At the very least, your pod will be glad you’re not running any control.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rhystic Study"></div></div>


How To Play Blue Differently in EDH

Burn the World to a Crisp With This Kuja, Genome Sorcerer Trim

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Miles &quot;Tails&quot; Prower" href="#" target="_blank">Miles &quot;Tails&quot; Prower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/johnthacker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Thacker</a></em></p>
<p>I’m not that into video games, but Sonic is one of the few I do have some history with, as I grew up with a neighbor that had a Sega system with <em>Sonic 2</em>. I loved that game because, unlike <em>Final Fantasy</em>, it had a multiplayer mode, so I got to play, too.</p>
<p>My neighbor would get first pick of character because it was his system and game, so I would be Tails while he would be Sonic. With the advent of the most recently-announced Secret Lair, I can relive those memories by making a Tails deck and suiting him up with every machine known to man (and some known only to Foxes).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Miles &quot;Tails&quot; Prower"></div></div>
<p>Interestingly enough, Foxes were recently featured in <em>Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty</em>, along with the return of Vehicles and the creation of the Pilot creature type. Vehicles are an artifact subtype that have power and toughness only when animated or crewed, although their other abilities can be used whether they're crewed or not.</p>
<p>Their tapping abilities are affected by summoning sickness when animated or crewed, but not otherwise. As a result, one needs to be careful when crewing or animating Vehicles.</p>
<p>Tails never was the more intuitive of the two characters, but figuring things out always made me feel like a genius, and this Tails deck can make you feel that way, too!</p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Miles &quot;Tails&quot; Prower" href="#" target="_blank">Miles &quot;Tails&quot; Prower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p>Miles is a 3/1 flier for three with flash, which is fairly aggressively costed for an Azorius (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) legendary creature. Flash functions a lot like haste, enabling Tails to come down on an open board or one post-wrath and get some chip in. Do it seven times, and you can steal a game with commander damage!</p>
<p>Speaking of functioning like haste, crewing Vehicles is an outside ability, so creatures that are summoning sick can still be used to crew. Crewing cares about power and protects the creature from combat (although that part I never understood from a Vorthos perspective: How does the destruction of a Vehicle not affect those crewing it? They must have excellent safety precautions!). Tails’s small toughness, therefore, is not all that important.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shorikai, Genesis Engine"></div></div>
<p>There are two primary commanders people tend to think of when it comes to Azorius Vehicles: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shorikai, Genesis Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Shorikai, Genesis Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kotori, Pilot Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Kotori, Pilot Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both of them happen to be in this deck, primarily because of how powerful they are.</p>
<p>Shorikai is a Vehicle that can be a commander, and it generates Pilots to crew itself and other Vehicles. It also functions as a card draw/selection engine and a means of loading up the graveyard. Kotori is a Pilot that alters crew costs to be crew 2, which can significantly lower the cost of crewing and enable aggressive turns. It also gives an artifact creature lifelink and vigilance on each of our combats.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kotori, Pilot Prodigy"></div></div>
<p>What sets Tails apart from the others, in addition to the IP and nostalgia factors, is that Tails combines the draw from Shorikai with the augmenting and crewing from Kotori. Tails draws a card when a Vehicle with flying enters or gives flying to a Vehicle entering without it.</p>
<p>Vehicles tend to have above-rate power and toughness, enabling them to attack for large amounts of power at the cost of needing to be crewed. Tails has a body that crews Vehicles easily and an ability that makes those above-rate Vehicles evasive. He combines what the others do well in one adorably aggressive package.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Miles &quot;Tails&quot; Prower" href="#" target="_blank">Miles &quot;Tails&quot; Prower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p>Tails’ primary need is Vehicles. A lot of them. Without Vehicles, he can still be an interesting tempo commander, but the Vehicles are where the draw engine and evasive addendums come into play.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smuggler&#039;s Copter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Peacewalker Colossus"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smuggler&#039;s Copter" href="#" target="_blank">Smuggler&#039;s Copter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the poster child for the power of Vehicles, having been banned in Standard almost as quickly as it entered. Speaking of it entering, it has flying, so Tails can draw a card when the Copter enters, and it can block and loot (hence the Looter Scooter nickname) the same turn it comes down.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peacewalker Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Peacewalker Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an ironically-named beater, given that it neither promotes peace nor walks (if Tails comes down first). It also has an activated ability that animates Vehicles, making it one of the more dangerous cards in the deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cyberdrive Awakener"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Armed and Armored"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dance of the Manse"></div></div>
<p>The reason why the Colossus is so dangerous is because it can animate multiple Vehicles. One of the downsides of playing too many Vehicles is that going up the crewing ladder has diminishing returns. Vehicles stacking up like Matryoshka dolls goes tall but not wide, and can only go as tall as the last Vehicle crewed.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyberdrive Awakener" href="#" target="_blank">Cyberdrive Awakener</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> animates and pumps the Vehicles, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armed and Armored" href="#" target="_blank">Armed and Armored</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> animates, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dance of the Manse" href="#" target="_blank">Dance of the Manse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <em>re</em>animates. All three of these cards make it so our collection of mechs can be controlled remotely; you could even call them autopilot cards!</p>
<p>One of the primary benefits Tails has over other Azorius Vehicles commanders is that he has a built-in engine: Each Vehicle entering either draws cards or gains flying. In order to use the card draw engine, we need to be casting multiple Vehicles in a turn, digging as deep as we can to try to find one of the autopilot cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etherium Sculptor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Foundry Inspector"></div></div>
<p>While digging, we don't want to be hamstrung on mana, so we need cost-reduction effects. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etherium Sculptor" href="#" target="_blank">Etherium Sculptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one that comes to mind quickly, having fueled powerful artifact decks since players were just learning the name “Esper.” It and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Foundry Inspector" href="#" target="_blank">Foundry Inspector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> help to give the deck the velocity to rip through our library and fill up our garage with as many mechs, skyships, cars, and boats as we can fit.</p>
<p>A quality of Vehicles that's a double-edged sword is that they aren’t creatures when they aren’t crewed. This is a benefit in that they're difficult to remove: they can’t be hit by creature removal, mass or spot, on anyone else’s turn, unless we make them vulnerable. The downside is that it means that we're wide open to being attacked when they aren’t animated.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swords to Plowshares"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dispatch"></div></div>
<p>As a result, we need to pack removal for when opponents inevitably turn on us. Much of our removal is instant-speed stock removal, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swords to Plowshares" href="#" target="_blank">Swords to Plowshares</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dispatch" href="#" target="_blank">Dispatch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, both of which exile opponents' threats for the low, low price of one white mana. We want stuff dead and not coming back, and we want it done for cheap, as our mana should be spent advancing our board.</p>
<h2>How Does This Miles "Tails" Prower Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<p>Miles wins through a fairly linear play pattern: cast Vehicles, crew Vehicles, smash with Vehicles. He has an easier time smashing with them when they have flying and an easier time building the board by drawing off of the ones that already do.</p>
<p>What we're hoping to find through all of that digging is a mass animation spell, so that all of our Vehicles can attack, preferably with flying, and eliminate multiple opponents.</p>
<h2>Miles "Tails" Prower Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Miles" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Miles &quot;Tails&quot; Prower
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Aerial Surveyor
*1 Brotherhood Vertibird
*1 Cargo Ship
*1 Deluxe Dragster
*1 Imperial Recovery Unit
*1 Imposter Mech
*1 Mechtitan Core
*1 Mighty Servant of Leuk-o
*1 Mindlink Mech
*1 Mobile Garrison
*1 Mobilizer Mech
*1 Nautiloid Ship
*1 Parhelion II
*1 Peacewalker Colossus
*1 Prodigy&#039;s Prototype
*1 Reaver Titan
*1 Reckoner Bankbuster
*1 Salvation Engine
*1 Shorikai, Genesis Engine
*1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
*1 Smuggler&#039;s Copter
*1 Surgehacker Mech
*1 The Indomitable
*1 The Lunar Whale
*1 The Regalia
*1 Thopter Fabricator
*1 Thunderhawk Gunship
*1 Unidentified Hovership
*1 Unlicensed Hearse
*1 Weatherlight
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Aeronaut Admiral
*1 Cid, Freeflier Pilot
*1 Cyberdrive Awakener
*1 Etherium Sculptor
*1 Foundry Inspector
*1 Gold Myr
*1 Hotshot Mechanic
*1 Interface Ace
*1 Kitsune Ace
*1 Kotori, Pilot Prodigy
*1 Lita, Mechanical Engineer
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Palladium Myr
*1 Silver Myr
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Stenn, Paranoid Partisan
*1 Vedalken Engineer
*1 Voyager Quickwelder
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Armed and Armored
*1 Crush Contraband
*1 Dispatch
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Stroke of Midnight
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Dance of the Manse
*1 Organic Extinction
*1 Vanquish the Horde
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*20 Island
*20 Plains
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This is a medium-speed engine-based deck, so those who enjoy midrange and fairly standard Commander strategies will like this. We also have just enough explosive power to appeal to those who enjoy combo decks.</p>
<p>It’s always fun to find an Azorius commander that doesn’t look to stifle opponents’ fun and/or creativity, and this one is a ton of fun to play, whether you like the IP or not!</p>


Building a Vehicles Deck with Miles "Tails" Prower

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tom Bombadil" href="#" target="_blank">Tom Bombadil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://burmak.ru/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dmitry Burmak</a></em></p>
<p><em>Final Fantasy</em> has brought a unique twist on a seven-year old card type: Saga creatures. Across the premier set and Commander decks, there are 33 cards which either mention Sagas, are Sagas, or turn into Sagas.</p>
<p>The set even brings its own five-color Saga commander in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terra, Magical Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Terra, Magical Adept</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She looks to be a fun commander, don’t get me wrong, but there was a phenomenal commander of the archetype printed two years ago: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tom Bombadil" href="#" target="_blank">Tom Bombadil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This funny little guy, who showed up briefly in <em>The Fellowship of the Ring</em> only to never be seen again, ended up the third most popular commander from the <em>Lord of the Rings</em> set and 32nd overall.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tom Bombadil"></div></div>
<p>Tom and Terra have a similar desire to run a lot of Sagas, but there are some slight structural differences. It’s a valid choice to pick Terra, but if you’re already running the funny little God Bard, let me give you an idea of how to bring in some <em>Final Fantasy</em> spice to your established deck.</p>
<p>Let’s answer the age-old question: what if Tom Bombadil had been a gamer?</p>
<h2>What Does Tom Bombadil Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tom Bombadil" href="#" target="_blank">Tom Bombadil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has two abilities. The first is a protective one, granting him hexproof and indestructible while you have enough lore counters on Sagas. The second is key: whenever a Saga you control finishes, you reveal cards from your library until you find a Saga to put directly onto the battlefield (once per turn).</p>
<p>Tom Bombadil won’t be interrupted while telling a story, and when he finishes one, he starts another! Very cool.</p>
<p>This is a midrange deck through and through. The Saga subtype, by its very nature, is incredibly geared towards the turn-by-turn accrual of resources. Some can turn it into more of a combo-style deck with the use of proliferate and other effects, but that will be fairly minimal here.</p>
<p>Tom’s purpose is staying on the battlefield and keeping the stories rolling. The rest of our deck will be Sagas or ways to maximize them, with an emphasis on what the <em>Final Fantasy</em> set has to offer!</p>
<h2>The Premise</h2>
<p>EDHRec has a fantastic little starting point for looking at older commanders: Average Deck. I used this to generate a general form of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tom Bombadil" href="#" target="_blank">Tom Bombadil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. The average deck function is a good starting point, but don’t treat it as a final product.</p>
<p>The “average” Tom Bombadil deck only ran 35 lands and ran non-synergistic ramp spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature&#039;s Lore" href="#" target="_blank">Nature&#039;s Lore</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I did some trimming and weeding, while trying to keep the general tune intact… and voila! I present the typical Tom Bombadil deck, pre-<em>Final Fantasy</em>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Average Tom Bombadil Deck" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Tom Bombadil
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Power Conduit
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Strionic Resonator
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Archon of Sun&#039;s Grace
*1 Barbara Wright
*1 Eidolon of Blossoms
*1 Ghen, Arcanum Weaver
*1 Glissa Sunslayer
*1 Goldberry, River-Daughter
*1 Hex Parasite
*1 Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis
*1 Jukai Naturalist
*1 Narci, Fable Singer
*1 Sanctum Weaver
*1 Satsuki, the Living Lore
*1 Satyr Enchanter
*1 Scholar of New Horizons
*1 Setessan Champion
*1 Sigurd, Jarl of Ravensthorpe
*1 Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand
*1 Weaver of Harmony
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Azusa&#039;s Many Journeys // Likeness of the Seeker
*1 Binding the Old Gods
*1 Birth of the Imperium
*1 Elspeth Conquers Death
*1 Enchantress&#039;s Presence
*1 Encroaching Dragonstorm
*1 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker // Reflection of Kiki-Jiki
*1 Historian&#039;s Boon
*1 In the Darkness Bind Them
*1 Inventive Iteration // Living Breakthrough
*1 Jugan Defends the Temple // Remnant of the Rising Star
*1 Kiora Bests the Sea God
*1 One Ring to Rule Them All
*1 Overgrowth
*1 Phyrexian Scriptures
*1 Scroll of Isildur
*1 Song of Eärendil
*1 Starfield of Nyx
*1 Sterling Grove
*1 The Akroan War
*1 The Bath Song
*1 The Cruelty of Gix
*1 The Elder Dragon War
*1 The Eldest Reborn
*1 The First Iroan Games
*1 The Horus Heresy
*1 The Kami War // O-Kagachi Made Manifest
*1 The Phasing of Zhalfir
*1 The Weatherseed Treaty
*1 There and Back Again
*1 Wild Growth
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Clockspinning
*1 Flicker of Fate
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Dance of the Manse
*1 Resurgent Belief
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*2 Forest
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Indatha Triome
*2 Island
*1 Jetmir&#039;s Garden
*1 Jungle Shrine
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Ketria Triome
*1 Misty Rainforest
*2 Mountain
*1 Nesting Grounds
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Path of Ancestry
*2 Plains
*1 Raffine&#039;s Tower
*1 Sandsteppe Citadel
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*1 Stomping Ground
*2 Swamp
*1 Temple Garden
*1 The World Tree
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Zagoth Triome
*1 Ziatora&#039;s Proving Ground
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>According to a quick use of the Archidekt compare feature, my final rebuild and this deck share 73 cards. Let’s talk about it!</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Tom Bombadil</h2>
<p>The Tom Bombadil deck has three key needs: Sagas, ways to get value out of Sagas, and ways to manipulate Sagas. The high density of Sagas that we need to use means they need to fulfill basic roles like card draw, removal, and ramp. Some, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Binding the Old Gods" href="#" target="_blank">Binding the Old Gods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, do multiple!</p>
<p>As time goes on, we’ve gotten more and more role-filler Sagas that help this category become a stronger backbone for the old God Bard. An important new addition from <em>Final Fantasy</em> is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Fenrir" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Fenrir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Weatherseed Treaty" href="#" target="_blank">The Weatherseed Treaty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this is a three-mana Saga that immediately puts a basic land onto the battlefield before helping our board presence.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Fenrir"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Song of Eärendil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Elder Dragon War"></div></div>
<p>Our Sagas are good; they provide a lot of value, be it utility or board presence. But a deck with just that and normal Good Stuff isn’t going to cut it. Our deck is bent around the card subtype and can take advantage of that.</p>
<p>We have a handful of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Historian&#039;s Boon" href="#" target="_blank">Historian&#039;s Boon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narci, Fable Singer" href="#" target="_blank">Narci, Fable Singer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which explicitly key off of Sagas. More generally, though, Sagas are enchantments, so we get to run some solid cards from your typical Enchantress build.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Starfield Mystic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Historian&#039;s Boon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Narci, Fable Singer"></div></div>
<p>Our deck is running 29 Sagas in total, which leads up to the next need: manipulating them. This can be the act of removing or adding lore counters to either keep getting certain triggers or speed through to the big value effect. Sagas have three to four turns over which to accrue value, but sometimes that takes too long.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satsuki, the Living Lore" href="#" target="_blank">Satsuki, the Living Lore</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an auto-include for any Saga deck’s 99, being able to advance all our Sagas at once and recur one with her death trigger. Another one is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Barbara Wright" href="#" target="_blank">Barbara Wright</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who gives our Sagas the read ahead ability, which lets us choose which chapter to start it on. If we have a low-impact Saga in hand and no Sagas ending that turn, we can drop it on its final chapter to ensure Tom Bombadil can pull up another one from the deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="O&#039;aka, Traveling Merchant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satsuki, the Living Lore"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garnet, Princess of Alexandria"></div></div>
<p>The new <em>Final Fantasy</em> inclusions in this category are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="O&#039;aka, Traveling Merchant" href="#" target="_blank">O&#039;aka, Traveling Merchant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garnet, Princess of Alexandria" href="#" target="_blank">Garnet, Princess of Alexandria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. They each remove lore counters and turn them into other resources. O’aka turns them into cards while Garnet turns them into power, both of which we’ll need to close out the game.</p>
<h2>How Does Tom Bombadil Win?</h2>
<p>In the mid-game, this is a graveyard deck. Sagas naturally put themselves in the graveyard, but we have several cards which help speed up that process, be it through mill, looting, surveilling, or what-have-you.</p>
<p>Once the dustbin is stocked, we can use cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anikthea, Hand of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Anikthea, Hand of Erebos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghen, Arcanum Weaver" href="#" target="_blank">Ghen, Arcanum Weaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to start bringing those stories back. Bonus tech for Ghen: he can sacrifice a Saga in response to its final lore trigger to get a different one on the field.</p>
<p>We also get <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuna, Hope of Spira" href="#" target="_blank">Yuna, Hope of Spira</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rydia, Summoner of Mist" href="#" target="_blank">Rydia, Summoner of Mist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for this category, reanimating or even just replaying our Sagas as the game goes long.</p>
<p>This graveyard angle will accelerate the kind of value we can get out of our Sagas.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuna, Hope of Spira"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rydia, Summoner of Mist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anikthea, Hand of Erebos"></div></div>
<p>I mentioned previously in the article that a lot of our Sagas need to serve basic utility functions like ramp, draw, and removal. Another utility Sagas must take over is the win condition slot - the big splashy card that can turn the game around for us or lock it in place. Not a literal <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changer</a> necessarily, but in that vein.</p>
<p>One of the number-one cards in traditional lists is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora Bests the Sea God" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora Bests the Sea God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It creates a big threat, clears the way for a big swing, and then steals something on the way out. Classic, massive, very successful.</p>
<p>Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Knights of Round" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Knights of Round</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> creates a massive board for us before pumping them and making them indestructible. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Bahamut" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Bahamut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> rounds out our trio of Big Spells With Big Impact.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Horus Heresy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Knights of Round"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Bahamut"></div></div>
<p>A final trick that the <em>Final Fantasy</em> games gives us are a handful of creatures that transform into Sagas and back, much like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jin-Gitaxias" href="#" target="_blank">Jin-Gitaxias</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the other Praetors from <em>March of the Machine</em>. These DFCs are impactful, and the fact that their final chapters still trigger <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tom Bombadil" href="#" target="_blank">Tom Bombadil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>’s ability makes them even more so.</p>
<p>We don’t want to go overboard (since Tom can’t “find” them), but these three will be capable of turning games around.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jin-Gitaxias"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Terra, Magical Adept"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant"></div></div>
<p>So there we have it. Tom deploys Sagas left and right, getting extra value out of them via lore counter tricks or graveyard shenanigans. If the overwhelming synergies from our light Enchantress core don’t pull it off, then one of our haymakers will.</p>
<h2>Tom Bombadil Commander Deck List</h2>
<p>And here’s our rebuild!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rebuilding Tom Bombadil" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Tom Bombadil
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Aminatou, Veil Piercer
*1 Anikthea, Hand of Erebos
*1 Barbara Wright
*1 Bello, Bard of the Brambles
*1 Eidolon of Blossoms
*1 Garnet, Princess of Alexandria
*1 Ghen, Arcanum Weaver
*1 Herald of the Pantheon
*1 Jin-Gitaxias // The Great Synthesis
*1 Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant // Phoenix, Warden of Fire
*1 Jukai Naturalist
*1 Narci, Fable Singer
*1 O&#039;aka, Traveling Merchant
*1 Rydia, Summoner of Mist
*1 Sanctum Weaver
*1 Satsuki, the Living Lore
*1 Scholar of New Horizons
*1 Setessan Champion
*1 Starfield Mystic
*1 Summon: Bahamut
*1 Summon: Esper Valigarmanda
*1 Summon: Fenrir
*1 Summon: Knights of Round
*1 Summon: Titan
*1 Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand
*1 Terra, Magical Adept // Esper Terra
*1 Weaver of Harmony
*1 Yuna, Hope of Spira
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Power Conduit
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Strionic Resonator
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Awaken the Honored Dead
*1 Ballad of the Black Flag
*1 Binding the Old Gods
*1 Birth of the Imperium
*1 Elspeth Conquers Death
*1 Enchantress&#039;s Presence
*1 Encroaching Dragonstorm
*1 Estrid&#039;s Invocation
*1 Fertile Ground
*1 Historian&#039;s Boon
*1 In the Darkness Bind Them
*1 Khalni Heart Expedition
*1 Kiora Bests the Sea God
*1 One Ring to Rule Them All
*1 Scroll of Isildur
*1 Song of Eärendil
*1 The Aesir Escape Valhalla
*1 The Bath Song
*1 The Elder Dragon War
*1 The Eldest Reborn
*1 The First Iroan Games
*1 The Horus Heresy
*1 The Kami War // O-Kagachi Made Manifest
*1 The Phasing of Zhalfir
*1 The Weatherseed Treaty
*1 There and Back Again
*1 War of the Last Alliance
*1 Wild Growth
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Dance of the Manse
*1 Resurgent Belief
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Flicker of Fate
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Abstergo Entertainment
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*2 Forest
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Indatha Triome
*2 Island
*1 Jetmir&#039;s Garden
*1 Jungle Shrine
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Ketria Triome
*2 Mountain
*1 Nesting Grounds
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*2 Plains
*1 Raffine&#039;s Tower
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Sandsteppe Citadel
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*1 Stomping Ground
*2 Swamp
*1 Temple Garden
*1 The World Tree
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Zagoth Triome
*1 Ziatora&#039;s Proving Ground
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tom Bombadil" href="#" target="_blank">Tom Bombadil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is basically a perfect Saga commander for those who want a straightforward experience with the fiddly card subtype. The hard commitment to a single card subtype narrows the field but increases the synergy. It’s a fun romp, strategically deploying Sagas and waiting for value until you start accelerating it.</p>
<p>The deck can stumble hard in the face of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cleansing Nova" href="#" target="_blank">Cleansing Nova</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Season of Gathering" href="#" target="_blank">Season of Gathering</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but its graveyard and Enchantress lines help it rebuild. Just be aware when you’re playing lore counter manipulators of the potential choice fatigue or how turns can go long. It takes some learning, but it’s very rewarding.</p>


Rebuilding Tom Bombadil with Final Fantasy

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dr. Eggman" href="#" target="_blank">Dr. Eggman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Illustrated by <a href="https://nathaliefourdraine.crevado.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nathalie Fourdraine</a></em></p>
<p>If you've reached this <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dr. Eggman" href="#" target="_blank">Dr. Eggman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck tech with legitimately anything but the most villainous intentions, you may be disappointed to know that this deck, based around that most dastardly villain, is true to form.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dr. Eggman"></div></div>
<p>This deck revolves around <em>Sonic the Hedgehog</em>'s mad scientist antagonist and his Construct and Robot minions. Are you strapped in and ready for a ride? Let's go!</p>
<h2>What Does Dr. Eggman Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dr. Eggman" href="#" target="_blank">Dr. Eggman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a discard commander, first and foremost. His ability to either cause a discard or force your opponent to allow you to put a Construct, Robot, or Vehicle onto the battlefield is a fairly intuitive one for your foes.</p>
<p>Spoiler alert: unless an opponent has a vital response to something and need to keep it in hand, they will generally opt to discard before they'll allow you to cheat in a Construct.</p>
<p>In addition, Dr. Eggman draws you a card at every one of your end steps. This further fuels the options you have handy for cheating in an artifact of some sort.</p>
<p>Finally, as a 3/6 body for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Dr. Eggman won't swing in for much damage, but he's a fantastic flying blocker much of the time.</p>
<h3>Which Commander Is Dr. Eggman Most Comparable To?</h3>
<p>On the surface, Dr. Eggman feels fairly similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Davros, Dalek Creator" href="#" target="_blank">Davros, Dalek Creator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Off the bat, they're both legendary Scientist creatures in the blue-black-red (Grixis) color identity. They're both <em>Universes Beyond</em> villains, and they are both relatively evil. These comparisons can't be ignored. Nevertheless, the biggest differences they share are in the villainous choice they offer your opponents.</p>
<p>Sure, both have something to do with board state advantage, card draw, and opposing discard. The buck stops there, however. Dr. Eggman affects all of your opponents automatically; Davros needs opponents to lose life before their pain can truly begin.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Davros, Dalek Creator"></div></div>
<p>As for the way this deck wants to operate, the strategy is that of an overwhelming force of Construct creatures, many of which are easy to cheat in with Dr. Eggman himself. With over 50 sources of mana and a glut of robotic creatures (if not Robot creatures), it's plausible to think the pilot of this deck will be able to power out the good Doctor sooner than players may expect, and then begin churning out value.</p>
<p>With the versatility of Constructs, the deck should be well-equipped to present many different tough situations for opponents.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Dr. Eggman</h2>
<p>Various good choices exist for a Dr. Eggman deck. Here, I'd like to highlight two key aspects of the deck:</p>
<ul>
<li>Strong Constructs and Robots for when your opponents make the wrong decision</li>
<li>Cards that punish opponents for making the <em>right</em> decision</li>
</ul>
<p>It's no surprise that, as soon as many people looked up this <em>Secret Lair</em> drop, they were encouraged to "always choose discard" when they face down Dr. Eggman. This is widely the right decision; after all, better the devil you know, right? ...Right?</p>
<h3>A Construct Toolbox for Your Hand</h3>
<p>Fret not, for there <em>is hope</em>! There are those foolish enough to forgo discarding without the foresight to properly estimate the versatility of the cards Dr. Eggman can and will eventually cheat into play. To that end, here are but three notable Constructs you could see in a Dr. Eggman deck many turns too early:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cityscape Leveler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scrap Trawler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cryptothrall"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cityscape Leveler" href="#" target="_blank">Cityscape Leveler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is less scary when cast outright, but it can still spook your opponents enough into reconsidering the merits of discarding that pivotal counterspell or combat trick. Furthermore, its talents aren't completely lost if you don't cast it, for it also triggers on the attack. To that end, you're going to decimate many different permanents with this thing.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Trawler" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Trawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will also allow a Dr. Eggman player to keep a sizable grip on the deck's artifacts. If you've lost the aforementioned Cityscape Leveler, you might be consoled with the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roaming Throne" href="#" target="_blank">Roaming Throne</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> you lost a couple of turns prior. Lost a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Myr Battlesphere" href="#" target="_blank">Myr Battlesphere</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Here's a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noxious Gearhulk" href="#" target="_blank">Noxious Gearhulk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for your pains. The possibilities are expansive and oh, so diabolical!</p>
<p>Let's also discuss <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cryptothrall" href="#" target="_blank">Cryptothrall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With as simple an ability as giving your artifact creatures hexproof, Cryptothrall is an unassuming threat in a deck with quite a few haymakers. However, when your opponents find they can't <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abrade" href="#" target="_blank">Abrade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> your other options, they'll realize they have to focus down a less overt card to get to anything else.</p>
<p>That's pretty evil, in all the best ways!</p>
<h3>Forcing Discards</h3>
<p>Plenty of cards exist in the general realm of Constructs for a commander like Dr. Eggman, and we'll get to them shortly. But how do we encourage opponents to decide to forgo discarding?</p>
<p>Three kinds of cards exist to assist this line of discard discouragement. Two are extremely familiar to most players experienced with discard themes in Commander. There's one more kind of card in this overarching category that is less obvious, although it's on the more salt-inducing end of things.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana&#039;s Caress"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Waste Not"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Telepathy"></div></div>
<p><strong>Damage Upon Discard:</strong> Cards such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Megrim" href="#" target="_blank">Megrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana&#039;s Caress" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana&#039;s Caress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and similar all deal damage to an opponent upon discarding. These can add up to more damage than an opponent may feel comfortable taking. At the same time, they're also losing a valuable card in hand, so this eases the stress of a painful decision.</p>
<p><strong>Benefits Upon Discard:</strong> Roughly in the same vein as dealing damage upon discard, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Waste Not" href="#" target="_blank">Waste Not</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provide you with bonuses for making your opponent discard.</p>
<p>As such, perhaps your opponent doesn't want you to have an extra Zombie token blocker or draw an additional card. So, they'll discard a land (or allow you to cheat in a Construct) instead. Forcing the decision to make itself is a very strong tool in your arsenal.</p>
<p><strong>Informed Hand Control: </strong>This is a more subtle way to force your opponents to discard cards. If your opponents' hands are pretty full, it helps to know why. Therefore, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Telepathy" href="#" target="_blank">Telepathy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glasses of Urza" href="#" target="_blank">Glasses of Urza</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are prime pieces to use here. They allow you to both make informed decisions and strongarm opponents with a political factor.</p>
<p>Of the two, I prefer Glasses of Urza. With it, you can focus the fear upon other opponents by looking at one opponent's hand and monitoring their otherwise hidden hand. You're snooping, as usual, and that's only fair!</p>
<h2>How Does Dr. Eggman Win?</h2>
<p>Put simply, Dr. Eggman wants to run your opponents well out of options while slowly amassing a robotic legion and then overrunning them with said legion.</p>
<p>Notably, there are a few cards that allow you to double up on villainous choices and other abilities. When you have a critical mass of automatons and your opponents have no ready means of dealing with them, you'll be able to win in practically no time at all.</p>
<h2>Dr. Eggman Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Dr. Eggman" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Dr. Eggman
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Cryptcaller Chariot
*1 Demonic Junker
*1 Foreboding Steamboat
*1 Glasses of Urza
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Jackdaw
*1 Mechtitan Core
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Panharmonicon
*1 RMS Titanic
*1 Relic of Sauron
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Talisman of Indulgence
*1 The Falcon, Airship Restored
*1 The Last Ride
*1 Thought Vessel
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Fevered Visions
*1 Funeral Room // Awakening Hall
*1 Kindred Discovery
*1 Liliana&#039;s Caress
*1 Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage
*1 Telepathy
*1 Waste Not
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Barbed Servitor
*1 Cityscape Leveler
*1 Combustible Gearhulk
*1 Cryptothrall
*1 Cyberdrive Awakener
*1 Foundry Inspector
*1 Goring Warplow
*1 K-9, Mark I
*1 Kuldotha Forgemaster
*1 Manakin
*1 Myr Battlesphere
*1 Noxious Gearhulk
*1 PuPu UFO
*1 Roaming Throne
*1 Rose, Cutthroat Raider
*1 Ruin Grinder
*1 Scavenged Brawler
*1 Scrap Trawler
*1 Scrawling Crawler
*1 Silent Arbiter
*1 Starscream, Power Hungry // Starscream, Seeker Leader
*1 The Valeyard
*1 Torrential Gearhulk
*1 Walking Atlas
*1 Y&#039;shtola Rhul
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Damnation
*1 Raise the Palisade
*1 Toxic Deluge
[/Sorceries]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Daretti, Scrap Savant
[/Planeswalkers]
[Instants]
*1 Abrade
*1 Access Denied
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Counterspell
*1 Mana Leak
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Blackcleave Cliffs
*1 Blazemire Verge
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Crosis&#039;s Catacombs
*1 Crumbling Necropolis
*1 Darkslick Shores
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Gloomlake Verge
*1 Great Furnace
*3 Island
*1 Mana Confluence
*3 Mountain
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Raucous Theater
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Riverpyre Verge
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Seat of the Synod
*1 Spirebluff Canal
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Sulfur Falls
*3 Swamp
*1 Thundering Falls
*1 Undercity Sewers
*1 Vault of Whispers
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Xander&#039;s Lounge
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>In short, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dr. Eggman" href="#" target="_blank">Dr. Eggman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a pretty imposing commander. He's similar to Davros in his triggering of a tough villainous choice. He's also very similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kefka, Court Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Kefka, Court Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in many related ways as well. If you're a fan of either of those commanders, you're certain to like Dr. Eggman.</p>
<p>So now, I'd like to hear from you, dear readers. Are you excited about the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/secret-lair-x-sonic-three-new-drops-officially-announced/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new <em>Secret Lair</em> drop series</a>, out July 14th? Would you play a Dr. Eggman deck? Do any of the other mechanically unique cards pique your deckbuilding interest? Sound off below!</p>


Constructing Evil With a Dr. Eggman Deck Tech

<p style="text-align: right;"><em>(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art By: <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CTuan+Duong+Chu%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tuan Duong Chu</a>)</em></p>
<p>To Infinity and not Universes Beyond. Hello everyone, and welcome to another addition of <em>Tech The Deck</em>, this time with a card from the upcoming <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> set <em>Edge of Eternities.</em> Who, or better yet, <em>what</em> might be the card I am speaking of? Well, it is none other than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kilo, Apogee Mind"></div></div>
<p>I'm incredibly excited about this upcoming set and jumped at the chance to do a deck tech for this card. And Kilo, respectfully... I'd tap that. With all that out of the way, let's dive into how I decided to take this card and build a Bracket 4 deck to maximize Kilo's insane tap ability.</p>
<h2>Tap, Tap, No Concede</h2>
<p>This deck has one primary plan: turn a specific creature sideways over and over. The combat step is irrelevant; all we care about is the number of times we can untap and tap <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Thanks to some cards from the format's past and cards much older than the average player remembers, we have plenty of ways at our disposal.</p>
<h3>Aura You Glad I Untapped?</h3>
<p>Two Auras in blue allow this deck to go off.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Freed from the Real"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pemmin&#039;s Aura"></div></div>
<p>These two cards might not have seen the inside of a sleeve, let alone a Commander pod, in some time, but thanks to Kilo, they're coming back with a vengeance. Each one has some slight benefits/drawbacks over the other, but both are an absolute must-run in this deck.</p>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pemmin&#039;s Aura" href="#" target="_blank">Pemmin&#039;s Aura</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has more abilities granted to the creature it's enchanting, in this deck, two of the four options are irrelevant. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Freed from the Real" href="#" target="_blank">Freed from the Real</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only taps and untaps, but it has a more forgiving mana cost.</p>
<p>These two are the main highlights in the deck. Card draw and tutors like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gamble" href="#" target="_blank">Gamble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enlightened Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Enlightened Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will help us find these early and often.</p>
<p>The eagle-eyed among you have probably noticed that neither of these Auras has a free activation cost. While our commander's proliferation effect is strong, it alone does not make mana. So what are we to do?</p>
<h2>Making Mana</h2>
<p>Some of my favorite mana rocks make an appearance in this deck list.</p>
<p>I would bet almost every Magic player knows <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everflowing Chalice" href="#" target="_blank">Everflowing Chalice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> well. And the charge counters found on it are perfect for our commander to proliferate. But I have an even better mana rock at my disposal. Feast your eyes on the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astral Cornucopia" href="#" target="_blank">Astral Cornucopia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Astral Cornucopia"></div></div>
<p>The Cornucopia goes bananas in this or any deck that can proliferate the counters. Most times mana rocks such as <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> are only kept slightly in check because they add colorless mana. But with Astral Cornucopia and our deck running on all cylinders, we can pump out <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> or <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> with ease.</p>
<p>The tricks don't stop there.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Paradise Mantle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Honor-Worn Shaku"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Relic of Legends"></div></div>
<p>I have a slew of artifacts that allow for tapping of Kilo both for mana and for value.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crystalline Crawler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Red Death, Shipwrecker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magda, Brazen Outlaw"></div></div>
<p>I even come packing creatures that tap for all sorts of options: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crystalline Crawler" href="#" target="_blank">Crystalline Crawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to give us whatever color of mana we need; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Red Death, Shipwrecker" href="#" target="_blank">Red Death, Shipwrecker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to lock out an entire table if we can use the ability multiple times in a turn; And <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, Brazen Outlaw" href="#" target="_blank">Magda, Brazen Outlaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make mana and tutor out any artifact we could want straight from the deck.</p>
<p>And artifacts are another central piece that allows us to win the game with this deck.</p>
<h2>The Artifacts</h2>
<p>Some combos in the game are complicated to explain. They're long and drawn out, and if you mess up even one step, the entire thing falls apart. Other combos are so devilishly simple, and that is what makes them great. I've found a way to pack both into this deck.</p>
<p>First up is the devilishly simple one, and the best one in the deck: the classic combination of <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>.</p>
<div id="4821-5261" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="4821-5261" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Dramatic%20Reversal%22%2C%22Isochron%20Scepter%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20magecraft%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20mana%20nonland%20permanents%20you%20control%20can%20produce%22%2C%22Infinite%20storm%20count%22%2C%22Infinite%20untap%20of%20nonland%20permanents%20you%20control%22%5D&id=4821-5261&color=U&extraRequirementCount=1"></script></div>
<p>Beautiful. This is the main combo that we want to assemble in this deck. Two open mana and the listed cards above, and then finding a way to win becomes trivial. Now onto the excitingly complicated one.</p>
<p>Combining the powers of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magosi, the Waterveil" href="#" target="_blank">Magosi, the Waterveil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Resourceful Defense" href="#" target="_blank">Resourceful Defense</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to give us infinite turns.</p>
<div id="757-4153-6702" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="757-4153-6702" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Kilo%2C%20Apogee%20Mind%22%2C%22Magosi%2C%20the%20Waterveil%22%2C%22Resourceful%20Defense%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20turns%22%5D&id=757-4153-6702&color=URW&extraRequirementCount=0"></script></div>
<p>I don't think that without <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commander Spellbook</a>, I would be able to explain the above combo with any form of confidence. Either way, it's one of many combos in this deck, and that's one reason that Kilo is a "busted" commander.</p>
<p>I'd go so far as to say that Kilo is the epitome of a <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/find-my-combos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">combotastic</a> commander. With 34 combos inside and another 298 possible combos that would only need a single card addition, I'm living in the fast lane with this deck.</p>
<p>Never fear, though, Kilo does have plenty of cool lines that can be taken if you want a bit more spice when it comes to winning the game.</p>
<h2>Spice, Spice, Baby</h2>
<p>They say variety is the spice of life, and this deck has a fair bit of spice jammed inside the 99.</p>
<p>This is a proliferation deck after all, and one of the best proliferate cards comes courtesy of <em>Universes Beyond: Fallout</em>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Radstorm" href="#" target="_blank">Radstorm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> benefits significantly from the infinite storm count generated thanks to our Dramatic Scepter combo. And with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prologue to Phyresis" href="#" target="_blank">Prologue to Phyresis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a few other spells, I can kill a table thanks to poison counters if I so choose.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Radstorm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Reactor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prologue to Phyresis"></div></div>
<p>And since Radstorm is an instant, I can use it to speed up a clock on the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Reactor" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Reactor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> living in the deck.</p>
<p>One final combo I want to mention in the deck involves an overlooked card from <em>Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="There and Back Again" href="#" target="_blank">There and Back Again</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Now I did lie to you at the start of the article by saying "The combat step is irrelevant." It's just close enough to irrelevant for this deck that using this combo would be akin to a bank robber going to plan E when executing a heist.</p>
<div id="974-4183-4222" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
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<p>Infinity is the name of the game when it comes to Kilo.</p>
<h2>PSA</h2>
<p>Now, I like Kilo. I like Kilo quite a bit. This is a very cool card, and one that I'm glad they showed off early. But I do think that it needs to come with a warning label. I built this deck as a Bracket 4 deck that's all in and fairly labeled as a "glass cannon." I don't think this is the only way that you can build Kilo, but I don't believe that anyone you play with will believe you when you tell them you have no combos in your Kilo deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deflecting Swat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smothering Tithe"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The One Ring"></div></div>
<p>A commander that's this easy to combo with is going to catch some strays, so I built this deck without going full cEDH, but I wanted to go as close as I could. That's why I run cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deflecting Swat" href="#" target="_blank">Deflecting Swat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fierce Guardianship" href="#" target="_blank">Fierce Guardianship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for protection, fast mana, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and some truly hated cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Punches for this deck were not going to be pulled.</p>
<p>But that's not the only thing that can be done with Kilo. While players might not believe you at the start when you tell them you're using Kilo for a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/planeswalkers/jeskai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeskai Planeswalker</a> deck, trust that they'll come around the first time Kilo is tapped to add a counter to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jace Beleren" href="#" target="_blank">Jace Beleren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>On the Edge</h2>
<p>I'm more excited than I have been all year for the release of <em>Edge of Eternities</em>. I might not end up building a deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it's too early to tell if I want to put it into my personal Jeskai Superfriends list. But I will be looking to see what everyone does with this once players can get their hands on it.</p>
<p>What will you be doing once <em>Edge of Eternitie</em>s is released? Are you excited for Kilo in Commander? I'd like to know, so please share with me on Bluesky at nicnax96. Keep an eye out for all the upcoming content for the last "real <em>Magic</em>" set of the year. And if I ever run into you and Kilo at a commander table, tell me the number of combos in your deck.</p>
<h2>Kilo, Apogee Mind Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Tech The Deck - Kilo, Apogee Mind" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kilo, Apogee Mind
[/commander]
[Artifact]
*1 Agatha&#039;s Soul Cauldron
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Astral Cornucopia
*1 Darksteel Reactor
*1 Empowered Autogenerator
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Glistening Sphere
*1 Honor-Worn Shaku
*1 Isochron Scepter
*1 Mana Vault
*1 Paradise Mantle
*1 Pentad Prism
*1 Relic of Legends
*1 Rings of Brighthearth
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Springleaf Drum
*1 Strionic Resonator
*1 The One Ring
*1 Umbral Mantle
[/Artifact]
[Enchantment]
*1 All Will Be One
*1 Freed from the Real
*1 Intruder Alarm
*1 Pemmin&#039;s Aura
*1 Resourceful Defense
*1 Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 There and Back Again
[/Enchantment]
[Creature]
*1 Anger
*1 Aphetto Alchemist
*1 Barrenton Medic
*1 Cayth, Famed Mechanist
*1 Coretapper
*1 Crystalline Crawler
*1 Fatestitcher
*1 Idris, Soul of the TARDIS
*1 Ioreth of the Healing House
*1 Kwain, Itinerant Meddler
*1 Laboratory Maniac
*1 Magda, Brazen Outlaw
*1 O&#039;aka, Traveling Merchant
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Red Death, Shipwrecker
*1 Saheeli, the Sun&#039;s Brilliance
*1 Spark Double
*1 Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus
*1 Unctus, Grand Metatect
[/creature]
[Sorcery]
*1 Contentious Plan
*1 Gamble
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Search for Glory
[/Sorcery]
[Instant]
*1 Counterspell
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Dramatic Reversal
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Experimental Augury
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Prologue to Phyresis
*1 Radstorm
*1 Silence
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
*1 Steady Progress
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Karn, the Great Creator
[/Planeswalker]
[Land]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Desolate Lighthouse
*1 Elegant Parlor
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Floodfarm Verge
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*2 Island
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Magosi, the Waterveil
*1 Meticulous Archive
*1 Minamo, School at Water&#039;s Edge
*2 Mountain
*1 Nesting Grounds
*2 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Riverpyre Verge
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Sundown Pass
*1 Thundering Falls
*1 Training Center
[/Land]"></span></div>


Kilo, Apogee Mind Commander Deck Tech - Bracket 4

<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><i><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gogo, Mysterious Mime" href="#" target="_blank">Gogo, Mysterious Mime</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CLee+Woo-chul%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Lee Woo-chul</a></i> | <i><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karlach, Fury of Avernus|SLD|1802" href="#" target="_blank">Karlach, Fury of Avernus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CMila+Pesic%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Mila Pesic</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Storm|FDN|391" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CRaymond+Swanland%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Raymond Swanland</a></i></span></p>
<p>Hey nerds! I’m back with another <i>Final Fantasy </i>deck tech featuring one of the underrated commanders from the precons, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gogo, Mysterious Mime" href="#" target="_blank">Gogo, Mysterious Mime</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gogo, Mysterious Mime"></div></div>
<p>While he might not be flashy or beloved like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, he provides a fun gameplay loop that will keep games moving while showing off the power of turning creatures sideways.</p>
<h2>Gogo, Mysterious Mime</h2>
<p>Simply put, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gogo, Mysterious Mime" href="#" target="_blank">Gogo, Mysterious Mime</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns into other creatures you control until the end of the turn, gives himself and that creature haste, a small bump in power, and forces you to attack. Thankfully, he does keep his name, so you can copy legendary creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ilharg, the Raze-Boar" href="#" target="_blank">Ilharg, the Raze-Boar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for some insane value.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for a similar commander with more colors, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isshin, Two Heavens as One" href="#" target="_blank">Isshin, Two Heavens as One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a solid option. Both are combat-focused commanders that are a blast to play and will have some overlap in pieces. But I prefer the obscure over the “mainstream,” which is why Gogo gets my vote.</p>
<p>When I first started building Gogo, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. One idea was a Pirate deck, but I wanted to take advantage of some of the big red creatures. So I decided to build mono-red midrange. Let’s just take all of the most fun red creatures, slam them into a deck and turn them sideways.</p>
<p>Gogo also makes a great pile deck commander. A pile deck is when you have a random pile of cards that you shuffle into your deck each game. My Gogo list has 32 creature slots, so you could shuffle in 32 random red creatures you love each game.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Gogo, Mysterious Mime</h2>
<p>For this article, I wanted to have an actual 99 you could look at, so I had to make some choices in the cards I added. Of the 32 creatures, there are several that should be played in most, if not all Gogo decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etali, Primal Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ilharg, the Raze-Boar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overlord of the Boilerbilges"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been a creature that I’ve loved but has often disappointed me when I’ve tried it outside of my Dinosaur deck. The lack of haste and the big threat it poses will make it or its controller a target. But with Gogo, Etali can attack the turn it comes down and doubles the attack trigger.</p>
<p>Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ilharg, the Raze-Boar" href="#" target="_blank">Ilharg, the Raze-Boar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great at cheating big creatures into play for a turn. If a creature is put into play with Ilharg’s ability, it doesn’t get its attack trigger. Which is why I made sure to add creatures with enters abilities like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inferno Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Inferno Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overlord of the Boilerbilges" href="#" target="_blank">Overlord of the Boilerbilges</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as prime candidates for being snuck in.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sneak Attack"></div></div>
<p>Speaking of sneaking, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sneak Attack" href="#" target="_blank">Sneak Attack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is more affordable than ever and still one of the most fun red cards ever printed. And it isn’t just a powerful way to cheat on mana in this deck.</p>
<p>I treat Sneak Attack as a protection spell. We want our creatures to attack, and it's not like red has a ton of vigilance creatures. So instead of leaving our key threats in play to be removed, they get put back into hand, for use later. Also, because of how Sneak Attack is worded, if you wait until the end step right before your turn, you can use your open mana to sneak creatures in before your turn.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karlach, Fury of Avernus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fear of Missing Out"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moraug, Fury of Akoum"></div></div>
<p>What kind of red deck would I be without extra combats? The answer is not a fun one. I didn’t add any extra combat enchantments or spells. I decided to make this a creature-focused deck, which means I added everyone’s favorite girl, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karlach, Fury of Avernus" href="#" target="_blank">Karlach, Fury of Avernus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She gives two extra combats if copied with Gogo, which is more than fair.</p>
<p>One of the newest extra combat members to <i>Magic,</i> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fear of Missing Out" href="#" target="_blank">Fear of Missing Out</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> felt like a no-brainer. I might need to add more ways to get <em>delirium</em> online, but extra combat for two mana is powerful enough to test out.</p>
<p>And of course, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moraug, Fury of Akoum" href="#" target="_blank">Moraug, Fury of Akoum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> found a home here. Moraug can usually be found in green decks where <em>landfall</em> is easy to trigger. But fret not, red has some great <em>landfall</em> tools to get a bunch of combats.</p>
<p>The new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zell Dincht" href="#" target="_blank">Zell Dincht</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brewing-a-landfall-commander-deck-with-zell-dincht" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who deserves their deck tech</a>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Forge and Frontier" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Forge and Frontier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Notably, Sword of Forge and Frontier will prevent Gogo from copying the creature equipped with it. But it's still a powerful card, so the nonbo is worth including.</p>
<h2>How Does This Gogo, Mysterious Mime Deck Win?</h2>
<p>Winning with the deck is easy enough: You either turn creatures sideways or abuse the burn effects red has.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pyreheart Wolf"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frontier Warmonger"></div></div>
<p>Turning creatures sideways gets easier with the help of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pyreheart Wolf" href="#" target="_blank">Pyreheart Wolf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frontier Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Frontier Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Turns out giving creatures menace makes them harder to block, especially if they already have flying or first strike. Trample creatures already get blocked by multiple bodies, so nothing changes there.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragonhawk, Fate&#039;s Tempest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Drakuseth, Maw of Flames"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thundering Raiju"></div></div>
<p>Option number two is burn baby burn. Traditional burn decks don’t work great in Commander given the larger life totals and being a singleton format. Casting 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> to the face doesn’t hit the same when you need to deal 40. But when you have multiple instances of three, four, or five damage to everyone, it will quickly add up.</p>
<p>Aside from the two burn creatures mentioned above, there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonhawk, Fate&#039;s Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonhawk, Fate&#039;s Tempest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which isn’t just burn, but also card advantage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drakuseth, Maw of Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Drakuseth, Maw of Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has also been a big Timmy card that pumps out so much damage. And a creature I’m surprised not to see more often is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thundering Raiju" href="#" target="_blank">Thundering Raiju</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It not only grows Gogo, or other creatures in play, but also burns all opponents on attack.</p>
<p>I floated the idea of adding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grafted Exoskeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Grafted Exoskeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to the deck to make the burn creatures more effective, but that's too mean for my liking.</p>
<h2><i>Gogo, Mysterious Mime </i>Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Mono Red Midrange" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gogo, Mysterious Mime
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Abrade
*1 Big Score
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Fire Magic
*1 Lightning Bolt
*1 Spikefield Hazard // Spikefield Cave
*1 Thunder Magic
*1 Unexpected Windfall
*1 Untimely Malfunction
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Cursed Mirror
*1 Explorer&#039;s Scope
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Genji Glove
*1 Hazoret&#039;s Monument
*1 Liquimetal Torque
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sword of Forge and Frontier
*1 Tenza, Godo&#039;s Maul
*1 The Fire Crystal
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Wrecking Ball Arm
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Balor
*1 Combat Celebrant
*1 Crimson Caravaneer
*1 Dragon Mage
*1 Dragonhawk, Fate&#039;s Tempest
*1 Drakuseth, Maw of Flames
*1 Dreadhorde Arcanist
*1 Elturel Survivors
*1 Etali, Primal Storm
*1 Fear of Missing Out
*1 Flamerush Rider
*1 Frontier Warmonger
*1 Ilharg, the Raze-Boar
*1 Inferno Titan
*1 Karlach, Fury of Avernus
*1 Laelia, the Blade Reforged
*1 Lightning, Security Sergeant
*1 Moraug, Fury of Akoum
*1 Oliphaunt
*1 Overlord of the Boilerbilges
*1 Pinnacle Monk // Mystic Peak
*1 Pyreheart Wolf
*1 Rose, Cutthroat Raider
*1 Ryan Sinclair
*1 Scourge of the Throne
*1 Squee, Dubious Monarch
*1 Star Athlete
*1 Synth Eradicator
*1 Tersa Lightshatter
*1 Thundering Raiju
*1 Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor
*1 Vincent, Vengeful Atoner
*1 Wildfire Eternal
*1 Zell Dincht
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Sundering Eruption // Volcanic Fissure
*1 Suplex
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Count on Luck
*1 Gimli&#039;s Reckless Might
*1 Sneak Attack
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Maze of Ith
*33 Mountain
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Overall, if you’re looking for a fun and unique combat-focused deck, Gogo is exactly what you want. It was a blast picking which creatures I wanted to add. But I think Gogo’s real draw will be how open-ended he is. You can play all of your favorite red creatures in this deck and not be disappointed. Heck, you could even build an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Act of Treason" href="#" target="_blank">Act of Treason</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck and copy creatures you steal from your opponents.</p>
<p>Alrighty nerds, I’ll see you in the next one!</p>


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