March of the Machine: The Aftermath Set Review - Noncommanders I

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Koll, the Forgemaster" href="#" target="_blank">Koll, the Forgemaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bram_sels/?hl=en">Bram Sels</a></h6>
<h1>Not Another Boros Equipment Deck...</h1>
<p>Hello, fellow brewer, and welcome back to <em>Brew For Your Buck</em>, where we swap out the top 10 most expensive cards in a deck with 10 budget cards that add a unique twist. This week, we're combining the most popular Boros commander with the most popular Boros theme. It's Osgir Equipment! "But wait, Brian!" you ask, "That seems pretty straightforward and frankly, a little bor(os)ing." Well, to spice things up, we need to look a little closer.</p>
<p>Osgir quickly became the most popular Boros commander because he provides a grindy, value-oriented, graveyard-centric playstyle for the color pair, and finally gave us something other than just another Equipment or combat-focused commander. Just a few months earlier, we also received an uncommon legend from<em> Kaldheim</em> that looked like, yes, yet another Boros Equipment commander. However, when looking at these two side-by-side, I see some striking similarities that involve graveyards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Osgir, the Reconstructor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Koll, the Forgemaster"></div></div>
<p>What I didn't put together at first is that Koll is a combo-tacular commander that combines Equipment and graveyard strategies all the way up through cEDH tables. Inspired by Jake FitzSimons and his <a href="https://commandersherald.com/let-me-sell-ya-koll-skullclamp-cedh/">article</a> on Commander's Herald, we're going to slot Koll and his infinite combo pieces into our Osgir deck. Looking at the average Osgir Equipment list on EDHREC, the deck clocks in at a whopping $367.81. A sword and some mono-W staples contain most of the cost. Interestingly, we're removing only white or colorless cards from the deck. All the red cards stay put.</p>
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Feast and Famine" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Feast and Famine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($41.39)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stoneforge Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Stoneforge Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($33.85)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Esper Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Esper Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($27.79)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><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> ($24.40)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($23.88)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hammer of Nazahn" href="#" target="_blank">Hammer of Nazahn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($21.68)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shadowspear" href="#" target="_blank">Shadowspear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($18.68)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steelshaper&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Steelshaper&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($16.79)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><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> ($14.92)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of the Animist" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of the Animist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($10.74)</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
<p style="padding-left: 200px; text-align: left;"><strong>Total Value of Cuts: $234.12</strong></p>
<p>Of note, this time only <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sacred Foundry" href="#" target="_blank">Sacred Foundry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($16.95) would be in the top 10 if we counted lands, so most of the mana base is pretty affordable! Replacing the Foundry with a budget option brings our total savings to <strong>$251.07</strong>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Additions</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Koll, the Forgemaster" href="#" target="_blank">Koll, the Forgemaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.09) is the obvious first addition to deck, and before we get into the individual swaps, here's how the combo works in a nutshell: using Equipment cost-reducers we equip a mana-neutral creature that will die and come back to our hand through Koll's ability over and over again. I'll go through the specifics of each card below, then sum up the combo lines at the end. Of course, these cards also have utility outside of just combo-ing off, so don't worry about adding cards to the deck that are dead without Koll.</p>
<h3>Fodder Creatures</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ornithopter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Myr Moonvessel"></div></div>
<p>Let's start with the mana-neutral creatures. The first place to look is creatures that literally cost zero mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh" href="#" target="_blank">Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.45), AKA Roger, is a familiar face in Equipment decks, as the plethora of keywords make him great at wielding a weapon of your choice. Next, and don't laugh, is the mighty <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ornithopter" href="#" target="_blank">Ornithopter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.08). Again, a zero-mana creature with evasion, it can wear Equipment just fine, but it also can be recurred with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sun Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Sun Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, sacrificed to Osgir's first ability, or tutored up with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Engineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>The next two are not actually zero mana, but function in much the same way as we proceed through the combo. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Myr Moonvessel" href="#" target="_blank">Myr Moonvessel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.30) pays for itself with its own ability after we sac it. It also offers a weird form of ramp if you make multiple copies of it, and it has synergies with the other artifact-matters cards, similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ornithopter" href="#" target="_blank">Ornithopter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Finally, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impulsive Pilferer" href="#" target="_blank">Impulsive Pilferer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.08), which functions much in the same way as Moonvessel. Just make sure you don't <em>Encore</em> it for the combo, as it exiles the real card and just makes tokens of itself.</p>
<h3>Equip Cost-Reducers</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Auriok Steelshaper"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nahiri, Storm of Stone"></div></div>
<p>Next thing we need is a way to equip without spending mana. Fortunately, the deck already has some of these effects, as we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Puresteel Paladin" href="#" target="_blank">Puresteel Paladin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fighter Class" href="#" target="_blank">Fighter Class</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bladehold War-Whip" href="#" target="_blank">Bladehold War-Whip</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Adding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Auriok Steelshaper" href="#" target="_blank">Auriok Steelshaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($1.26) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nahiri, Storm of Stone" href="#" target="_blank">Nahiri, Storm of Stone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.13) to the mix is basically automatic. You'll see that you may need two of these on the battlefield depending on which ones you have access to, though Osgir can clone <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bladehold War-Whip" href="#" target="_blank">Bladehold War-Whip</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you want to be sneaky from the graveyard.</p>
<h3>Key Equipment</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skullclamp"></div></div>
<p>We have our fodder, we have our cost-reducers, now for the finale. This deck already has plenty of ways to find these key pieces of Equipment, but Osgir also lets us recur them from our 'yard pretty easily if they get binned before we pop off.</p>
<p>First up is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($3.81). Yea, it stretches the definition of a budget card a bit, but as one of the most powerful Equipment ever printed, it's worth every penny. With Koll and an equip-cost-reducer on the battlefield, equipping this to one of our non-<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ornithopter" href="#" target="_blank">Ornithopter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fodder creatures this allows us to literally draw our entire deck at sorcery speed. Equip the clamp, our creature dies, Koll brings it back, and we cast it again to repeat. This combo is the heart of the cEDH versions of Koll, so we'd be remiss to not include it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mortarpod"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mask of Immolation"></div></div>
<p>Now we need a way to win the game. For this, we turn to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mortarpod" href="#" target="_blank">Mortarpod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.09) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mask of Immolation" href="#" target="_blank">Mask of Immolation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.05). In a similar fashion to the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> line, just equip and sacrifice the creature with its new ability to ping an opponent. Koll will trigger, returning the creature to your hand, then repeat to keep on pinging until the table is dead.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Wrap-Up and Savings</h2>
<p>Alright, let's recap the combo lines. We need Koll on the battlefield and:</p>
<ol>
<li>A mana-neutral creature</li>
<li>A way or ways to reduce the equip costs to zero</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mortarpod" href="#" target="_blank">Mortarpod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mask of Immolation" href="#" target="_blank">Mask of Immolation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ol>
<p>Then, we equip the mana-neutral creature and go to town! Now for the savings:</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Picture1-1.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-97467 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Picture1-1.png" alt="" width="361" height="262" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Picture1-1.png 361w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Picture1-1-300x218.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 361px) 100vw, 361px" /></a></p>
<p>Sweet, we cut the deck's price by 2/3 and you get to keep all of the leftover Equipment staples. Plus you have the start of a really fun cEDH deck! Thanks again to Jake for the inspiration for this one, it was really fun to find an interesting home for this budget package! If you liked slotting in an infinite combo, you can also check out my <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brew-for-your-buck-unearthing-the-infinite/">article</a> about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra, Tamer of Mak Fawa" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra, Tamer of Mak Fawa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Kolld Steel" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Osgir, the Reconstructor
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Akiri, Fearless Voyager
*1 Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist
*1 Astor, Bearer of Blades
*1 Auriok Steelshaper
*1 Bronze Guardian
*1 Bruenor Battlehammer
*1 Danitha Capashen, Paragon
*1 Goblin Engineer
*1 Halvar, God of Battle
*1 Impulsive Pilferer
*1 Koll, the Forgemaster
*1 Lion Sash
*1 Lizard Blades
*1 Myr Moonvessel
*1 Ornithopter
*1 Oswald Fiddlebender
*1 Puresteel Paladin
*1 Reyav, Master Smith
*1 Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Sram, Senior Edificer
*1 Stonehewer Giant
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Wyleth, Soul of Steel
*1 Zirda, the Dawnwaker
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Archaeomancer&#039;s Map
*1 Argentum Armor
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Bladehold War-Whip
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Dragonwing Glider
*1 Goldwarden&#039;s Helm
*1 Hexgold Halberd
*1 Hexgold Hoverwings
*1 Hexplate Wallbreaker
*1 Ichor Wellspring
*1 Kemba&#039;s Banner
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mask of Immolation
*1 Masterwork of Ingenuity
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mortarpod
*1 Sculpting Steel
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sunforger
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Thousand-Year Elixir
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Open the Armory
*1 Vandalblast
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Boros Charm
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Dispatch
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Return to Dust
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Daretti, Scrap Savant
*1 Nahiri, Storm of Stone
[/Planeswalkers]
[Enchantments]
*1 Fighter Class
*1 Sigarda&#039;s Aid
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Ancient Den
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Boros Garrison
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darksteel Citadel
*1 Great Furnace
*6 Mountain
*1 Needleverge Pathway
*11 Plains
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Rustvale Bridge
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Sacred Peaks
*1 Slayers&#039; Stronghold
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Sundown Pass
*1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
*1 Temple of Triumph
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>Do you have a cool combo idea to slot into a deck? Do you have a commander you want to see featured? Let me know in the comments below! If you want to see more budget content, follow me on Twitter @BrewForYourBuck! I post quick swaps for really expensive cards, and other budget deckbuilding content. I'll see you next time when we brew for your buck!</p>


Brew for Your Buck - Kolld Steel

Achievement Unlocked - Building around "Living Weapon" Creatures

Too-Specific Top 10 - Combo of Law

Power Sink - K is for Kenrith

Recross the Paths - Karador, Ghost Chieftain

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fencing Ace" href="#" target="_blank">Fencing Ace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://daverapoza.carbonmade.com/">David Rapoza</a>)</h6>
<h1>Hit Me Baby One More Time</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome back to <em>Singleton Shmingleton</em>, where I bend the singleton rules of Commander by building decks with as many functional reprints of a certain card as possible. On the docket this week is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fencing Ace" href="#" target="_blank">Fencing Ace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the swaggering two-swords two-drop from <em>Return to Ravnica</em>. For your two mana you get a 1/1 with double strike, and that bargain has captivated the hearts of kitchen-table players for more than a decade now.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fencing Ace"></div></div>
<p>At 1/1, the Ace is pretty much as small as he can be, but what we're really paying for is the double strike ability. There are no cards in the game that consistently have double strike at less than two mana, so this is the lowest price we're going to pay for this deal.</p>
<p>Double strike is a powerful ability. It combines with so many effects, from pump spells to counters to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, and it doesn't ask much to be great. My first and favorite double strike combo was in the second deck I ever built, where I enchanted <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirran Crusader" href="#" target="_blank">Mirran Crusader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armored Ascension" href="#" target="_blank">Armored Ascension</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and then equipped it with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inquisitor&#039;s Flail" href="#" target="_blank">Inquisitor&#039;s Flail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If I ever drew two pieces of the combo, I would make sure to save them until I drew the third. Ah, to be young again.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirran Crusader"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Armored Ascension"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inquisitor&#039;s Flail"></div></div>
<p>There are 11 total two-mana creatures that come with double strike, printed in sets all the way from <em>Ravnica: City of Guilds</em> to <em>Phyrexia: All Will Be One</em>. They are all red and/or white, which gives us some direction in terms of colors. Here they are:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Double or Nothing" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="*1 Adorned Pouncer
*1 Boros Swiftblade
*1 Fencing Ace
*1 Illuminator Virtuoso
*1 Jawbone Duelist
*1 Kor Blademaster
*1 Lizard Blades
*1 Swiftblade Vindicator
*1 Twinblade Geist
*1 Viashino Slaughtermaster
*1 Warren Instigator"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>There's a surprising amount of variation amongst these cards, given how similar they are. Some of the most popular are all played for different reasons and in different decks. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warren Instigator" href="#" target="_blank">Warren Instigator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sees play in 10,367 decks, almost all of them Goblin-themed. It's an all-star there, but ironically might be the worst one for us because we'll never use the trigger and double red is hard to hit on turn two. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adorned Pouncer" href="#" target="_blank">Adorned Pouncer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> features in 8,558 decks, most of which are Cat or <em>Embalm</em>-themed. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jawbone Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Jawbone Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> slots into every <em>Toxic</em> deck, which so far adds up to 2,616. And somehow <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lizard Blades" href="#" target="_blank">Lizard Blades</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> takes the cake away from all of them with 27,680 decks, due to its Equipment synergies (unfortunately, I could not find any Lizard decks with the card).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warren Instigator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adorned Pouncer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lizard Blades"></div></div>
<p>Even without added themes, the baseline double-striker for two is enough for some decks. The original <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boros Swiftblade" href="#" target="_blank">Boros Swiftblade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> finds its way into 1,201 decks, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fencing Ace" href="#" target="_blank">Fencing Ace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is in 2,259. Given that, I was surprised at how few decks play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Illuminator Virtuoso" href="#" target="_blank">Illuminator Virtuoso</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's one of the best creatures for <em>Heroic</em> decks and will be one of our best Aces, and it's only in 1,623 decks. I know it's only been out a year, but that hasn't stopped <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jawbone Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Jawbone Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from getting around! Unsurprisingly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viashino Slaughtermaster" href="#" target="_blank">Viashino Slaughtermaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings up the rear of this list with only 47 decks, as it has a restrictive color identity and little upside.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boros Swiftblade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Illuminator Virtuoso"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Viashino Slaughtermaster"></div></div>
<p>11 creatures is a good start to a deck, but if we want to consistently have two or three of these guys on the board, we're going to need a few more. Luckily, there are plenty of options for double strikers at three mana to supplement these bodies.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Double, Double, Toil and Trouble</h2>
<p>So how can we turn these creatures into an engine? The most obvious way to abuse creatures with double strike is to pump them up with combat tricks, Auras, and Equipment. This strategy works well in 20-life formats, where counting to 10 and multiplying by two doesn't take much effort, but in Commander, it faces the same difficulties as every other aggressive strategy: too many opponents with too much life. We're going to need to find some value as well.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curiosity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Coastal Piracy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Open into Wonder"></div></div>
<p>Anything that triggers when we deal combat damage to a player synergizes well with our Aces. We'll still come out of the gate swinging, but we can try to use these triggers to gain value and snowball rather than being outclassed as the game progresses. Here's a list of cards within Jeskai that can draw us cards when we connect:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Curious, Very Curious" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="*1 Bident of Thassa
*1 Coastal Piracy
*1 Combat Research
*1 Curiosity
*1 Curious Obsession
*1 Deepfathom Skulker
*1 Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
*1 Open into Wonder
*1 Reconnaissance Mission
*1 Sea-Dasher Octopus
*1 Staggering Insight
*1 Subira, Tulzidi Caravanner"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>That's already 12 ways to draw cards, which should prevent us from fizzling out after dumping our hand early. Auras come with an inherent risk, but as long as we can draw cards the turn we play them we won't be too out of luck once they're removed. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sea-Dasher Octopus" href="#" target="_blank">Sea-Dasher Octopus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a little awkward, given how many of our Aces are Humans, but it still has plenty of <em>Mutate</em> targets, and worst case scenario we can just cast it as a creature. Now all we have to do is make sure we can get some attacks through. Luckily, there are a <em>lot</em> of blue cards that can make creatures unblockable on the cheap.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aqueous Form"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shadow Rift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Artful Dodge"></div></div>
<p>This looks like the start of a real plan! Play a couple cheap double-strikers, get through with them and draw a few cards, then once we develop our board we can go for the kill. But how should we go for said kill? Well, we've got all these cheap, maybe evasive, double-striking creatures lying around, so we might as well use them the old-fashioned way. Mass pump spells, anthem effects, and some spicy surprises can make our creatures threaten lethal quite quickly.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ambitious Assault"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anax and Cymede"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crescendo of War"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Some Card Spotlights</h2>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Latulla&#039;s Orders" href="#" target="_blank">Latulla&#039;s Orders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>:</strong> A sleeper Aura that will definitely catch opponents by surprise. Because it has flash, it will usually play out like an instant that we're already happy about, but then it will stick around and threaten to give us more value. One of the places where Commander decks tend to get more homogenized is in the general removal spells, so it's extra satisfying to find an underplayed gem that synergizes with our plan so well.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Latulla&#039;s Orders"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Surge to Victory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderous Orator"></div></div>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surge to Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Surge to Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>:</strong> This is our spiciest setup for an alpha strike. We're playing a lot of cantrips that target our creatures, so an unexciting use of this card is to draw two for each of our unblocked Aces. We could also target a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="For the Emperor!" href="#" target="_blank">For the Emperor!</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pack Attack" href="#" target="_blank">Pack Attack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for maximum damage. Our creatures won't be pumped for first strike damage, but then when regular damage rolls around they'll be swole as heck.</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Umezawa&#039;s Jitte" href="#" target="_blank">Umezawa&#039;s Jitte</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>:</strong> I know this isn't a hot take, but this card is busted. It's less broken in Commander, but because it triggers whenever equipped creature deals combat damage, it fits perfectly into this deck. We can attack our 1/1 Aces into 4/4s with the Jitte, because we can pump them after first strike but before regular damage and keep them around.</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderous Orator" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderous Orator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>:</strong> This doesn't technically count as an Ace, but because we have so many redundant creatures with double strike this will attack as an Ace almost all the time. In this case consistency allows for more consistency.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Double Trouble" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Adorned Pouncer
*1 Anax and Cymede
*1 Balmor, Battlemage Captain
*1 Boros Swiftblade
*1 Combat Thresher
*1 Deepfathom Skulker
*1 Fabled Hero
*1 Fencing Ace
*1 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
*1 Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
*1 Hound of Griselbrand
*1 Illuminator Virtuoso
*1 Invisible Stalker
*1 Jawbone Duelist
*1 Kor Blademaster
*1 Lizard Blades
*1 Markov Blademaster
*1 Mirran Crusader
*1 Narset, Enlightened Master
*1 Phalanx Leader
*1 Phyrexian Dragon Engine
*1 Prophetic Flamespeaker
*1 Sea-Dasher Octopus
*1 Silverblade Paladin
*1 Solemn Recruit
*1 Subira, Tulzidi Caravanner
*1 Swiftblade Vindicator
*1 Thunderous Orator
*1 True-Name Nemesis
*1 Twinblade Geist
*1 Warren Instigator
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Ambitious Assault
*1 Brute Force
*1 Defiant Strike
*1 Pack Attack
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Rally the Peasants
*1 Shadow Rift
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Artful Dodge
*1 Distortion Strike
*1 For the Emperor!
*1 Open into Wonder
*1 Slip Through Space
*1 Surge to Victory
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Bident of Thassa
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Umezawa&#039;s Jitte
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Aqueous Form
*1 Coastal Piracy
*1 Combat Research
*1 Crescendo of War
*1 Curiosity
*1 Curious Obsession
*1 Curse of Stalked Prey
*1 Latulla&#039;s Orders
*1 Reconnaissance Mission
*1 Staggering Insight
*1 Sticky Fingers
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Inspiring Vantage
5x Island
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Misty Rainforest
3x Mountain
6x Plains
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Seachrome Coast
*1 Spirebluff Canal
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Swiftwater Cliffs
*1 Tranquil Cove
*1 Wind-Scarred Crag
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Until Next Time</h2>
<p>I enjoy playing low-curve decks, and this deck definitely fits that description with 14 one-drops and 24 two-drops. Breaking the rhythm of "land, go" in the early game feels like catching your opponents off guard, and you'll always have things to do with your mana. The struggle with assertive decks is to stay relevant, to keep everyone playing the game at your pace, and that's the kind of battle I love. Don't let anyone go bigger than you; keep them off-balance by going under.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lhurgoyf"></div></div>
<p>Ach! Hans, run! Next week I'll be highlighting one of my favorite cards and one of my favorite strategies. Get ready for a graveyard deck, and get ready to make some beefy boys, because I'm going to be building "Oops! All Lhurgoyfs".</p>


Singleton Shmingleton - Fencing Ace

<p><em>If you're looking for more </em>Flesh and Blood<em> data and content, go check out our other sites, <a href="https://fabrec.gg/">FABREC</a> and <a href="https://spellvoid.com/">Spellvoid</a>!</em></p>
<h1>Welcome! Let's Talk About How to #FABDad!</h1>
<p>My name is Donnie! I’m a 36-year-old #FABDad who started playing trading card games before I started puberty, waaay back when <em>Pokémon</em> was the newest sensation on the playground. As I got older, I switched to <em>Yu-gi-oh</em> after watching the anime back when it first debuted here in the US, and then eventually found my way to <em>Magic the Gathering</em>, a passion for which kept me and my little brother close as we grew up.</p>
<p>I found <em>Flesh and Blood</em> in December of ’22, after hearing rumblings about a world championship finishing up and a thriving competitive scene, which my brother and I were looking for as Magic just wasn’t hitting the same for us as it had in years past. After buying two pre-constructed Blitz decks so we could learn the game together and after attending our first tiny Armory, we sold out of Magic completely to reinvest everything into FAB. Since then, I’ve been recklessly consuming every bit of FAB based media I can get my grubby hands on in an attempt to level up my game and do well on the tournament scene. So far, that’s meant finishing with a positive win record at my second PQ, finishing with a positive record at my first pre-release, winning a couple of Armories, breaking even on wins/losses at BH Charlotte on <a href="https://spellvoid.com/card/UPR044/fai-rising-rebellion">Fai, Rising Rebellion</a>, and barely missing day two at the calling in Baltimore with a 5-3 record playing <a href="https://spellvoid.com/card/OUT045/katsu-the-wanderer">Katsu, the Wanderer</a>. (Impressive resume, I know, I know….)</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fai-Rising-Rebellion.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-98623 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fai-Rising-Rebellion-215x300.jpg" alt="Fai, Rising Rebellion" width="215" height="300" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fai-Rising-Rebellion-215x300.jpg 215w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fai-Rising-Rebellion.jpg 546w" sizes="(max-width: 215px) 100vw, 215px" /></a></p>
<h2>Ok, So That's Who I Am, But Why Are <em>You</em> Here?</h2>
<p>Well, the reason you're here right now is probably because you’re like me and stay busy all the time due to real-life commitments that require real, actual, responsible adulting, and that often gets in the way of your passion for all things <em>Flesh and Blood</em>. Life is crazy and this game is tough to master, often requiring dozens into hundreds of games on a hero to truly understand every nuance of what they want to do in a match. That’s a daunting realization for someone who might only have time for one Armory a week if they’re lucky. So the question I’m hoping to explore, and, at best, help answer for us both over the course of this series is this:</p>
<p><em>How does one get better at </em>Flesh and Blood<em> while maintaining real-life responsibilities?</em></p>
<p>What we’re going to discuss here are topics that I’m not prepared to claim mastery over yet myself. Honestly, I’m just an enthusiastic nerd who happens to be a good employee, a happily married husband of 15-ish years, and a doting father of two beautiful pre-teens, that wants to talk about some of the things I’ve done over my gaming life to ensure I have personal time to spend on my collectible hobbies, and how I’ve been working on my own FAB journey. Things like how to explain the hobby to a non-gamer spouse, understanding and setting FAB goals, feeling like part of the community, etc.</p>
<p>Today though, we’ll cover just one of the things I’ve done to try to make myself better at FAB quickly:</p>
<h2>Consume Content at Every Opportunity!</h2>
<p><em>Flesh and Blood</em> content seems to be growing by leaps and bounds lately as more and more players come to the game and see an opportunity to grow a media space for themselves as the game grows around them. There are dozens of podcasts and YouTube channels that are dedicated entirely to FAB and it seems like all of the creators are genuinely passionate about both helping the community grow and the individuals grow within the community. This is a lucky break for me, since I’ve found myself in a position with my employer that allows me to wear earbuds to listen to media while I’m doing my physical tasks in order to help keep my mind occupied.</p>
<h3>Pods Vs Videos?</h3>
<p>Podcasts are especially awesome while moving around since there’s no fees involved in listening, unless you happen to have a premium account for your listening service of choice. I’ve followed the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@m-n-rcast">M-n-R Cast</a> with Michael Hamilton and Roger Bodee, for example, since December when I was told about it at my first Armory. If you’re brand new to FAB and don’t recognize the names, Michael Hamilton is both the reigning US National Champion and the current reigning World Champion for <em>Flesh and Blood</em>. He and his best friend Roger do their weekly podcast and discuss all manner of things related to FAB. Roger pokes fun at Michael a lot and it’s always both entertaining and thought provoking, so I highly recommend their content.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/i1qordsdXno" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ArsenalPass">Arsenal Pass</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@983Media">983 Media</a>’s Instant Speed Podcast are also fantastic and easy to listen to while I’m moving around at work or playing over the Bluetooth connection in my car on my daily commute. Matt Di Marco, aka “Flake,” of Instant Speed is hilarious, and when I met him at the Battle Hardened in Charlotte, NC he was extremely humble and very down to earth. His podcast focuses a lot on interviews with FAB celebrities like Brodie Spurlock, Michael Hamilton, Daniel Rutkowski, and others where he brings them in to discuss recent tournament experiences, how they prepped, and other elements of playing FAB at a high level. Hayden Dale and Brendan Patrick of Arsenal Pass do roughly the same, but most of their casts seem to be them discussing the game between the themselves and occasionally inviting other high-level players on to chat.</p>
<h3>Videos for Me!</h3>
<p>Pods are, indeed, a wonderful font of brain fuel, but I’ve found YouTube to be an even more incredible resource from my first moments of wondering, “<em>What in the world is this game all about??</em>” I first learned how to play the game by watching The Professor of Tolarian Community College’s "<a href="https://youtu.be/3KFP_ESRz54">How To Play Flesh And Blood (TCG) Learn To Play In Less Than 15 minutes!</a>" video before I ever walked into a hobby shop for an Armory. Dice Commando’s video, "<a href="https://youtu.be/_11WAsqwzJ8">Top 5 Heroes to Start Out &amp; Grow With - into 2023</a>," helped guide me towards building my first Classic Constructed hero. Recently, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ManSantFaB">ManSant</a> has been the go-to source for live event coverage and the quality of his streams just keeps getting better the more he does it. I’ve loved how knowledgeable he and his fellow commentators have been while streaming and how easy it’s been to follow along with the high-level plays thanks to his team.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3KFP_ESRz54" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>I’m especially blessed in my local community to have several of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheCardGuyz">The Card Guyz</a> as local players that have been helping me both in person and with their awesome videos covering meta game breakdowns, tier charts, and detailed evaluations of the tournament scene. Nathan Crawford of The Card Guyz has been steadily streaming every Wednesday night and the way he talks through his lines while playing makes him very easy to listen to, even if I’m not able to sit and focus on the video feed.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TCGTALKYT">TCG TALK</a> put out a video that can be found <a href="https://youtu.be/faPXxm0ajtc">here</a>, with a link that lists dozens and dozens of other creators from a plethora of sources, making it a one-stop shop to find any type of content for our favorite TCG. He even breaks down the most frequent style of content for each creator and has them organized into categories!</p>
<p>These are just a <em>few</em> of the creators I follow regularly.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/faPXxm0ajtc" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>I know listening to other people talk about the game or watching other people play is not a perfect substitute for getting actual reps in with your favorite hero at the local shop, but when you’re wanting to get better at <em>Flesh and Blood</em> quickly, every moment of effort counts!</p>
<h2>Farewell for Now!</h2>
<p>Thank you so much for checking out my first effort at creating something for this amazing community! I’m really excited about having an opportunity to talk about the best TCG I’ve ever played in a broader way and I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you’re doing to surround yourself with content, or if you usually only do FAB related things on Armory/Event days. I can be found on Discord or Twitter pretty easily as DracoHominis87, (although I'm not currently very active on Twitter,) so feel free to message me for a chat!</p>
<p><em>(PSA- Seriously, please don’t text and drive. It’s dangerous. Don’t search for music/content and drive. Don’t try to do anything else and drive. Just drive while driving and focus on not getting yourself or anyone else hurt. End PSA.)</em></p>


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