Conditions Allow - Tarox Bladewing

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shadowbane" href="#" target="_blank">Shadowbane</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://douglasshuler.com/">Douglas Shuler</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>Dual Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck! This typically leaves us with a marriage of themes, sometimes in a neat 80/20 balance, other times in a mess of abstraction, a melding of approaches. Half one way, half the other, with a bridge between.</p>
<p>This time, two partitions will display a unity of focus, but to the exclusion of their peripheral awarenesses. They are alike in purpose, but they are not like-minded, even if they share the same headspace. Although sometimes, if your Voltron commander works, there won't be much left in the way of headspace, not with Zurgo Helmsmasher at the, uh, helm.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zurgo Helmsmasher"></div></div>
<p>(Check the archives! Have we made that joke before? If not, originality! If so, continuity!)</p>
<p>This edition of <em>Dual Shot</em> brings us another combat-centric deck. I know, be patient, I'm sure there'll be a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/wheels">Wheel</a> deck inside a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/stax">Stax</a> deck, or a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/rat-colony">Rat Colony</a> deck inside a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/persistent-petitioners">Persistent Petitioners</a> deck inside a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/shadowborn-apostles">Shadowborn Apostle</a> deck someday.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rat Colony"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Persistent Petitioners"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shadowborn Apostle"></div></div>
<p>(Oh, write those down!)</p>
<p>But no, for now the duality is a subtle one, one scarcely aware of its own schism, obvious and opaque at once. In one sphere sits the straightforward, the outward, the brash, even the honorable. In the other hides the meandering, the muttering, the surreptitious, the anxious. Day and night aren't so different; they merely color the sky. The sky's purpose is still there.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Shadow of Zurgo" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Zurgo Helmsmasher
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Adriana, Captain of the Guard
*1 Agent of Stromgald
*1 Augur il-Vec
*1 Azra Oddsmaker
*1 Dauthi Cutthroat
*1 Dauthi Ghoul
*1 Dauthi Jackal
*1 Dauthi Mercenary
*1 Dauthi Mindripper
*1 Dauthi Trapper
*1 Dauthi Warlord
*1 Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar
*1 Port Razer
*1 Soltari Champion
*1 Soltari Crusader
*1 Soltari Foot Soldier
*1 Soltari Guerrillas
*1 Soltari Monk
*1 Soltari Priest
*1 Soltari Trooper
*1 Soltari Visionary
*1 Spirit en-Dal
*1 Stronghold Overseer
*1 Subira, Tulzidi Caravanner
*1 Throat Slitter
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 Boros Charm
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Despark
*1 Howl from Beyond
*1 Leave // Chance
*1 Savage Beating
*1 Seething Song
*1 Stir the Pride
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Temur Battle Rage
*1 Terminate
*1 Wear // Tear
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Bond of Discipline
*1 Dusk // Dawn
*1 Insult // Injury
*1 Read the Bones
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mask of Memory
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Rakdos Locket
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Aggravated Assault
*1 Cavalcade of Calamity
*1 Curse of Stalked Prey
*1 Dauthi Embrace
*1 Latulla&#039;s Orders
*1 Rage Reflection
*1 Raid Bombardment
*1 Sphere of Safety
*1 Unspeakable Symbol
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Bloodfell Caves
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Castle Ardenvale
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Command Tower
*1 Concealed Courtyard
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Isolated Chapel
*4 Mountain
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Opal Palace
*1 Path of Ancestry
*5 Plains
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Rupture Spire
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Savai Triome
*1 Scoured Barrens
*1 Secluded Steppe
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*5 Swamp
*1 Temple of Malice
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Reconciling</h2>
<p>Our general wants to smash. His army isn't even on the same battlefield. Reducing it down, this is a win-by-commander-damage deck atop a wide, evasive combat deck. To each end, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rage Reflection" href="#" target="_blank">Rage Reflection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savage Beating" href="#" target="_blank">Savage Beating</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insult // Injury" href="#" target="_blank">Insult // Injury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seem to act as the only channel of communication and compromise. Otherwise, we'll be fighting two different wars. Self and shadow. Conscious and unconscious. Ego and id. Digestible and euphuistic. Dictionary and thesaurus. Something and... someplace.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rage Reflection"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Savage Beating"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Insult // Injury"></div></div>
<p>Anyway, tangled among all the cards that exist in one camp here (e.g., <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Howl from Beyond" href="#" target="_blank">Howl from Beyond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is really only going to benefit your commander, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stir the Pride" href="#" target="_blank">Stir the Pride</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only exhibits its utility when the shadows are long), there are two tenuous, brittle bridges: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dauthi Embrace" href="#" target="_blank">Dauthi Embrace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dauthi Trapper" href="#" target="_blank">Dauthi Trapper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dauthi Embrace"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dauthi Trapper"></div></div>
<p>This deck's <em>raison d'être</em>. With these, Zurgo can give into his <em>Shadow</em> archetype, his buried truth. He is no true Khan of the Mardu Horde, not in the sense of acquiescence to the weight of culture, of honorable battle, of vendettas and oaths and ambition. All of that is in service to the chase of the bloodbath. An otherwordly stab in the back will meet that requirement just as well as crossed swords.</p>
<p>But there is a danger in giving in to the dark. With an army stuck in the shadow, you'll enjoy your evasiveness, sure, but in doing so, each of your opponents are guaranteed the same. You cannot block. And like our psychic shadow, if pressured into a defensive posture, it is a perverted one. Paranoia, carelessness, irrationality. You know, the "always be attacking" type of Jungian psychology. That isn't to say this deck can't work, only that, unlike typical <em>Dual Shot</em> fare, the pivot presented here is rather more like shifting our weight from a fixed stance. Here, despite our brazenness, our brashness, our bravado - our brutality - we do not adapt, we submit.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This is a deck at odds with itself. Running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raid Bombardment" href="#" target="_blank">Raid Bombardment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cavalcade of Calamity" href="#" target="_blank">Cavalcade of Calamity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is terribly risky, since while we do prioritize effects that grant double strike, rather than simply buffing our power, these do seem like the first cuts to make. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> feels like the all-star here, definitely going a long way toward making this list seem fun and not frustrating. But that aggravating antipode is at the very heart of this deck - something honest and something askance. This brew does a good job of illustrating an early glimpse into the goals of <em>Magic</em>. You want to win by dealing damage to your opponents, so dealing unavoidable damage quickly seems like the clearest path to victory. But then caveats begin to pile up, lines of play become visible only after you've closed them off, and someone played <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stasis" href="#" target="_blank">Stasis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and somehow there's an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth, Knight-Errant" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth, Knight-Errant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that's going to ult and there's nothing you can do about it.</p>
<p>Often, this excavates a salt mine - at first. But it's that same circuity that keeps us coming back, reliving plays in our heads, sharing jank with friends, and turning grim metaphors into decklists at the insistence of the plague-madness.</p>
<p>That's it for this episode! Check out <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/trent-trombley/">Trent Trombley</a>'s <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/evasive-maneuvers-shadow/"><em>Evasive Maneuvers - Shadow</em></a> for more insight into this tech! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dauthi Embrace" href="#" target="_blank">Dauthi Embrace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dauthi Trapper" href="#" target="_blank">Dauthi Trapper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> see a &lt; 1% inclusion rate on EDHREC, and <em>Shadow</em>, in general, is an underappreciated mechanic; it seems that people's enthusiasm for the keyword dwindles once they realize that it means they can't block. But to hell with blocking, I say! Zurgo, smash!</p>
<p>Let us know in the comments below when "always be attacking" worked for you. Or, perhaps more interestingly, tell us about a moment you had in your Commander career when you realized that this game had more going on underneath the hood that you'd first thought. Anyway, stay safe and stay sane. Till next edition.</p>
<p>Try to stay safe and sane after next edition, too.</p>


Dual Shot - Shadow Aspect

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gallia of the Endless Dance" href="#" target="_blank">Gallia of the Endless Dance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Illustrated by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/algenpfleger">Johannes Voss</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo Melibeu, and this is <em>Epic Experiment,</em> a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p>Today we're going to build around a very underrated commander from <em>Theros Beyond Death</em>. Given that part of her kit is dedicated to a underdeveloped tribe, she's become basically a tribal commander. That'll stop today, because today we're building a Gallia deck!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gallia of the Endless Dance"></div></div>
<p><strong>Haste</strong></p>
<p><strong>Other Satyrs you control get +1/+1 and have haste.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Whenever you attack with three or more creatures, you may discard a card at random. If you do, draw two cards.</strong></p>
<p>Observation 1:</p>
<p>Gallia's draw trigger is really powerful. She's in a color combination that has plenty of cheap dorks that can be used to accelerate in the early game and then be used as fodder to her trigger in the late game. The randomness of the discard can easily be mitigated by simply packing our deck with Goodstuff (or even by playing the important stuff in our first main phase)</p>
<p>Observation 2:</p>
<p>Gallia is an aggressive commander through and through: she's a cheap body with haste that provides card advantage for us. One way to take advantage of this is by playing with <em>Madness</em> cards to get even more bang for our buck.</p>
<p>Observation 3:</p>
<p>Satyr is a tribe that is lacking in terms of card quality. However, given that Gallia also grants haste to other Satyrs, we can experiment with otherwise lackluster creatures in order to help fuel her draw trigger. I would strongly suggest gravitating towards utility-based ones, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satyr Wayfinder" href="#" target="_blank">Satyr Wayfinder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, rather than just going for maximum value.</p>
<p>Observation 4:</p>
<p><em>Madness</em> works great with Gallia, compensating for some of Aggro's shortcomings. However, <em>Madness</em> cards tend to be less effective in EDH.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-57673 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2.png" alt="" width="1402" height="610" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2.png 1402w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2-300x131.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2-1024x446.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2-768x334.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1402px) 100vw, 1402px" /></a></p>
<p>Like I said in my overview of the commander, Gallia is THE Satyr commander, so it's not surprising to see many Satyr cards in the top slots of the deck. This is a thematic approach, but I think that Satyr tribal fails to take full advantage of Gallia's potential.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golgari Grave-Troll"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azra Bladeseeker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Splendid Reclamation"></div></div>
<div>From the moment I saw Gallia, I knew I would build around her draw ability. There are basically two main dimensions to build around: the draw, and the discard. <em>Dredge</em> is a good example of a good mechanic to pair with Gallia: when we get dead cards that we want to discard, we can use the draw trigger to <em>Dredge</em> deeper.</div>
<div></div>
<div>To trigger Gallia's triggered ability, we still need a creature suite. Since we're already planning to <em>Dredge</em> around, looters are a perfect fit for this strategy. This leads us into an aggressive deck that invests in creatures with a looting ETB, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azra Bladeseeker" href="#" target="_blank">Azra Bladeseeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bomat Courier" href="#" target="_blank">Bomat Courier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burning-Tree Vandal" href="#" target="_blank">Burning-Tree Vandal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Racer" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Racer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be a bit slower than their ETB counterpart, but the possibility of having multiple triggers more than makes up for this especially since two of them have haste.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Now that we've covered the what and how, we need to answer why we're <em>Dredging</em>. Usually when we think of <em>Dredge</em>, we think of Reanimator. Being in Gruul, Gallia has a tough time returning creatures that she's discarded. That being said, you know what kind of permanent Gruul loves to return? Lands! <em>Dredging</em> up lands and then using cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Splendid Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Splendid Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful way to get many <em>Landfall</em> triggers and get ahead in the mana department.</div>
<div></div>
<div><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Field of the Dead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Depths"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra&#039;s Ignition"></div></div></div>
<div></div>
<div>We're also stacking the deck with win conditions. We're mostly using two-card combos to end the game: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Splendid Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Splendid Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>/<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="World Shaper" href="#" target="_blank">World Shaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scapeshift" href="#" target="_blank">Scapeshift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great enablers for our more powerful <em>Landfall</em> triggers, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle" href="#" target="_blank">Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Field of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Field of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even <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>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (and, by extension, its other combo pieces) provides a fast clock that can be hard for some lists to handle. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra&#039;s Ignition" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra&#039;s Ignition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great way to close games where multiple opponents are alive with low life; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Multani, Yavimaya&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Multani, Yavimaya&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be used to great effect with Ignition since we can easily get him back to the battlefield, but even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulvenwald Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Ulvenwald Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will do the trick.</div>
<div>
<hr />
</div>
<div>
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Gallia Dredgefall" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Gallia of the Endless Dance
[/Commander]

[Artifact]
*Sol Ring
*Smuggler&#039;s Copter
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*Arbor Elf
*Birds of Paradise
*Bomat Courier
*Boreal Druid
*Elvish Mystic
*Elvish Reclaimer
*Fyndhorn Elves
*Insolent Neonate
*Llanowar Elves
*Orcish Lumberjack
*Sylvan Safekeeper
*Fissure Wizard
*Sakura-Tribe Elder
*Satyr Wayfinder
*Azra Bladeseeker
*Burning-Tree Vandal
*Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
*Eternal Witness
*Golgari Brownscale
*Merchant of the Vale
*Radha, Heart of Keld
*Ramunap Excavator
*Reckless Racer
*Seasoned Pyromancer
*Springbloom Druid
*Viashino Racketeer
*Anger
*Greater Mossdog
*Rowdy Crew
*World Shaper
*Cavalier of Flame
*Cavalier of Thorn
*Golgari Grave-Troll
*Ancient Greenwarden
*Moraug, Fury of Akoum
*Multani, Yavimaya&#039;s Avatar
*Ulvenwald Hydra
*Omnath, Locus of Rage
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*Mass Hysteria
*Prismatic Omen
*Underworld Breach
*Ayula&#039;s Influence
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Crop Rotation
*Heroic Intervention
*Thrill of Possibility
*Chaos Warp
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Faithless Looting
*Traverse the Ulvenwald
*Cathartic Reunion
*Life From the Loam
*Recoup
*Chain Reaction
*Scapeshift
*Splendid Reclamation
*Chandra&#039;s Ignition
*Creeping Renaissance
*Blasphemous Act
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Command Tower
*City of Brass
*Mana Confluence
*Karplusan Forest
*Grove of the Burnwillows
*Spire Garden
*Stomping Ground
*Cinder Glade
*Copperline Gorge
*Rootbound Crag
*Sheltered Thcket
*Temple of Abandon
*Wooded Foothills
*Prismatic Vista
*Ghitu Encampment
*Mutavault
*Treetop Village
*Forgotten Cave
*Tranquil Thicket
*Blighted Woodland
*Tectonic Edge
*Ghost Quarter
*Dark Depths
*Vesuva
*Thespian&#039;s Stage
*Field of the Dead
*Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
*Snow-Covered Forest
*Snow-Covered Mountain
*4 Forest
*7 Mountain
[/Land]"></span></div>

<p>Unlike the usual Lands Matter lists, we're heavily invested in mana dorks. We need to have the three attacking creatures mark as soon as possible, and they provide both a body and the mana acceleration to put more bodies into play.</p>
<p>With all the <em>Dredging</em>, we're likely to mill a relevant piece, so we have some powerful recursion pieces that can act as a pseudo-tutors. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Recoup" href="#" target="_blank">Recoup</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great because it targets big sorcery effects, and it's an easy card to find considering that we can <em>Dredge</em> it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is versatile, but it needs some setup, and it only works for a turn. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eternal Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Eternal Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another body, which isn't that much for the type of effect that we want to recover from our graveyard, but it's still an upside.</p>
<hr />
<div>
<div id="mtgh_26fd7" class="mtgh">
<div class="header">
<div>
<h2>Methodology</h2>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>For opening hands, we're mostly looking for early creatures to fuel our commander. From there, we can start making a plan according to our draws.</p>
<p>In the early game, our main concern is gathering three bodies to attack. Our commander is usually the third, so it's really more like finding two. While the <em>Dredge</em> suite is nice and all, we don't really need it at this stage of the game. After all, getting to trigger our commander means that we're seeing at least three new cards a turn, which is more than enough to give us a boost.</p>
<p>By the mid-game, between other players building up defenses and playing board wipes, our ability to trigger Gallia significantly diminishes. By this point we hopefully have dug enough to flip the switch and start acting like a more standard Lands Matter deck. This is the stage where we really want to start chaining some of our <em>Dredge</em> cards.</p>
<p>When we get to the late game, our priority is to find any of our win conditions, we have plenty of opportunities to find any of them, especially with our <em>Flashback</em> recursion spells. Finding the most effective winning line is fairly easy, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cavalier of Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Cavalier of Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra&#039;s Ignition" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra&#039;s Ignition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great at bursting people out, while Field of the Dead and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omnath, Locust of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Omnath, Locust of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great at grinding.</p>
<hr />
<div>
<div id="mtgh_26fd7" class="mtgh">
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Manabond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra, Flamecaller"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harvest Season"></div></div>
<p>The list is basically a Lands Matter with a twist. This twist costs us some precious deck slots that we have to sacrifice in order to fit some of the other cards. One of the biggest problem that I see that this list suffers is that the only way it can effectively "tutor" for lands is to put them in the graveyard, unlike most decks that tend to use ramp effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
</div>
<p>Enablers, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manabond" href="#" target="_blank">Manabond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can be great in a list like this, as it's a way to consistently drop <em>Dredge</em> cards out of our hand. However, as mentioned before, we lack the land-pulling capabilities to make it that much better than an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exploration" href="#" target="_blank">Exploration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.<br />
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra, Flamecaller" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra, Flamecaller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great card to cycle through bad hands and letting us get rid of some <em>Dredgers</em>. It may seem like an expensive investment, but the combination of Gallia and Chandra is a powerful draw engine.</p>
</div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harvest Season" href="#" target="_blank">Harvest Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a bit of a risky card, but if we are able to play it with two creatures on the field it's more effective than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment!</em> What do you think about this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which did you not? Was this <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


Epic Experiment - Gallia Landfall

Collected Company - Zirda

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orchard Elemental" href="#" target="_blank">Orchard Elemental</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://twitter.com/christinechoi_?lang=en">Christine Choi</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>Dual Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck.</p>
<p>We find ourselves in the strangest place of all - the sort of place where the paradoxical is true, where the antipodes of the mundane and the extraordinary begin to blur together. The polarity only ever arose from dimmed perspectives and dulled perception.</p>
<p>We're not in some Escheresque interstellar nightmare, nor do we inhabit any psychedelic phantasmagoria. But there is something menacing here, something as threatening as it is inviting. The eldritchness lay here, but it's distant. Distant enough to let curiosity and even serenity overtake caution, at least for a while.</p>
<p>We are in the forest.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Untamed Wilds"></div></div>
<p>The woods, the wilds... from the silence of morning comes the nascent crackling of life: waking birds stir the moss, the meadow rustles, and pollen shakes from the creaking limbs above.</p>
<p>When you're out in it, you're reminded of how strange it is to be anything at all. There's nothing magical about it... and <em>everything</em> magical about it.</p>
<p>Fittingly, that cosmic joke wreathes this experiment, making scarcely scrutable commentary from above in the meta-balconies. This is <em>Dual Shot</em>, that strangest of experiments. So, it shouldn't come as much surprise at this point.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seton, Krosan Protector"></div></div>
<p>But this one seemed a bit heavier on the irony. This time, we'll be brewing <a href="https://edhrec.com/tribes/druids">Druid tribal</a> with a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/politics">political subtheme</a>. For a mono-green list with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seton, Krosan Protector" href="#" target="_blank">Seton, Krosan Protector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in charge, the price of politics seems like it might be too steep for humble naturalists. And yet even those who shelter in the trees - ascetics, neutralists, and primitivists all - must sometimes take to the moot and parley with the world. The trees will be their halls, echoing their arguments.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Druids Probably Aren't As Chill As They Let On, Anyway</h2>
<p>There's plenty opportunity for politics to turn into Group Hug here, but you'll more likely be playing favorites early. So, much like real politics, you'll be yelling at your debate partners with your fingers stuck in your ears. And just in case your opponents don't feel like playing the game of thrones, most of your political pieces - things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sylvan Offering" href="#" target="_blank">Sylvan Offering</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Early Harvest" href="#" target="_blank">Early Harvest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and various <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects - will work just fine without consent. Rather oppositely, things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stream of Life" href="#" target="_blank">Stream of Life</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primal Command" href="#" target="_blank">Primal Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gaea&#039;s Blessing" href="#" target="_blank">Gaea&#039;s Blessing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in some specific situations, could be retooled as gifts for your opponents for the sake of a temporary truce.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Early Harvest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lull"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Primal Command"></div></div>
<p>The canopy to all that is Druid tribal, here taking shape as a wide, aggressive shell. None too stompy, either; most of of your threats are unassuming mana-generators (on their own or thanks to Seton) until an endgame <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overwhelming Stampede" href="#" target="_blank">Overwhelming Stampede</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or, if you're lucky, a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sylvan Advocate" href="#" target="_blank">Sylvan Advocate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sylvan Awakening" href="#" target="_blank">Sylvan Awakening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Really, with pieces like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orochi Hatchery" href="#" target="_blank">Orochi Hatchery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hydra Broodmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Hydra Broodmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nut Collector" href="#" target="_blank">Nut Collector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baru, Fist of Krosa" href="#" target="_blank">Baru, Fist of Krosa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this looks rather more like "green creature tribal," but druidic vows are nothing if not inclusive.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Seton Druids" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Seton, Krosan Protector
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Baru, Fist of Krosa
*1 Beast Whisperer
*1 Decimator of the Provinces
*1 Elder Druid
*1 Elvish Archdruid
*1 Elvish Harbinger
*1 Filigree Familiar
*1 Genesis Hydra
*1 Grunn, the Lonely King
*1 Hermit of the Natterknolls
*1 Heroes&#039; Bane
*1 Hydra Broodmaster
*1 Karametra&#039;s Acolyte
*1 Krosan Restorer
*1 Krosan Wayfarer
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Marwyn, the Nurturer
*1 Nantuko Mentor
*1 Nut Collector
*1 Paradise Druid
*1 Paragon of Eternal Wilds
*1 Seedborn Muse
*1 Sylvan Advocate
*1 Thriss, Nantuko Primus
*1 Voyaging Satyr
*1 Wellwisher
*1 Yavimaya Elder
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Choking Vines
*1 Early Harvest
*1 Fog
*1 Harmonic Convergence
*1 Hunting Pack
*1 Lull
*1 Primal Bellow
*1 Scour from Existence
*1 Vitalize
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Animist&#039;s Awakening
*1 Creeping Mold
*1 Gaea&#039;s Blessing
*1 Genesis Storm
*1 Green Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Insist
*1 Mobilize
*1 Multani&#039;s Decree
*1 Overwhelming Stampede
*1 Primal Command
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Rude Awakening
*1 Seasons Past
*1 Skyshroud Claim
*1 Stream of Life
*1 Sylvan Awakening
*1 Sylvan Offering
*1 The Great Aurora
*1 Traverse the Outlands
*1 Wildest Dreams
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Emerald Medallion
*1 Lifecrafter&#039;s Bestiary
*1 Loreseeker&#039;s Stone
*1 Mirari
*1 Orochi Hatchery
*1 Seer&#039;s Sundial
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*34 Forest
*1 Slippery Karst
*1 Tranquil Thicket
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>The Distant Landscape</h2>
<p>You'll notice that there's something else going on here. Behind the tangled foreground of trees, some part of you remembers the wider world, even if it's obscured by the forests of proximity. There is truth in nature, but not necessarily honesty.</p>
<p>There is a political subtheme here - if you choose to pilot the list that way - but there is a more immediately visible companion theme of <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/lands">lands</a>. And what better ulterior motive for the druidic enclave to pursue than the tending of the earth? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seer&#039;s Sundial" href="#" target="_blank">Seer&#039;s Sundial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an obvious starting point. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yavimaya Elder" href="#" target="_blank">Yavimaya Elder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyshroud Claim" href="#" target="_blank">Skyshroud Claim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are more than just ramp pieces: with untap effects from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elder Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Elder Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arbor Elf" href="#" target="_blank">Arbor Elf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voyaging Satyr" href="#" target="_blank">Voyaging Satyr</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the like, your mana can quickly become weaponized. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primal Bellow" href="#" target="_blank">Primal Bellow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rude Awakening" href="#" target="_blank">Rude Awakening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> demonstrate both sides of this tactic: respectively, going tall into the trees, or going wide into the understory. And your aggressive pieces are largely multitaskers as long as Seton is out, save for a few stompy creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grunn, the Lonely King" href="#" target="_blank">Grunn, the Lonely King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for when setup is proving difficult. Some components that flesh out all these strategies might look like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wilderness Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Wilderness Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avoid Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Avoid Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tempt with Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Tempt with Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wilderness Reclamation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Avoid Fate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tempt with Discovery"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Closing Argument</h2>
<p><em>Dual Shot</em> has tinkered with tertiary themes <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/dual-shot-rude-awakening/">in the past</a>, incidentally or otherwise, but they were generally as close to quiet as they could be without being inconsequential. Here, <em>three</em> themes play in near balance. The watchers and hecklers in the balcony toss their crumpled literary criticism papers and burning copies of <em>House of Leaves</em> down onto the stage, hoping that the tomatoes of irony strike true. Somewhere, someone rolls a true neutral D&amp;D character, and regret ripples along the strings of the augurs of fate.</p>
<p>Before things get too pompous, just know that leaning into any of the themes is plenty viable. To make things more <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/politics">political</a>, consider <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullwinder" href="#" target="_blank">Skullwinder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunted Troll" href="#" target="_blank">Hunted Troll</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Selvala&#039;s Stampede" href="#" target="_blank">Selvala&#039;s Stampede</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. For <a href="https://edhrec.com/tribes/druids">Druids</a>, adding some more general tribal tools like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher&#039;s Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher&#039;s Banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brass Herald" href="#" target="_blank">Brass Herald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a very feasible approach. And for the <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/lands">lands theme</a>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rampaging Baloths" href="#" target="_blank">Rampaging Baloths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avenger of Zendikar" href="#" target="_blank">Avenger of Zendikar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can prove to be devastating win conditions, enjoying solid synergy with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baru, Fist of Krosa" href="#" target="_blank">Baru, Fist of Krosa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hunted Troll"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crown of Vigor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rampaging Baloths"></div></div>
<p>That's it for this episode of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thoughtweft Trio" href="#" target="_blank">Thoughtweft Trio</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Be sure to tell us below about the decks you've built that tried to do a little bit too much. Were they masterful jacks of all? Or did your opening hands too often look like the contents of a booster pack? Until next we meet!</p>


Dual Shot - An Amphitheatre of Trees

Conditions Allow - Subira, Tulzidi Caravanner

Archetune-Up - The Cat that Hits Back

Archetune-Up - A Sliver of Creativity

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/lukacs/">Chuck Lukacs</a>)</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to the legendary creatures to whom <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to give a story. I’ll guide you through each aspect that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background attention. This time around I’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos, Unchained" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos, Unchained</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Polukranos, Unchained"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Polukranos, known as the World Eater, fell to Theros from its celestial lair during the battle between Purphoros and Heliod, where he was quickly sealed under the Nessian Forest. Elspeth was tasked by Heliod to defeat the Hydra, who had recently escaped its stasis and was ravaging the land. Polukranos was defeated and, in death, was locked away in the Underworld. As we see in his recent depiction, however, Polukranos is back, freed from his chains and angrier than ever.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heliod, God of the Sun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosName.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45677 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosName.jpg" alt="" width="289" height="65" /></a></p>
<p>Polukranos loosely translates from Greek to "many heads." More accurately, it means "many helmets," but I think we know what <em>Wizards</em> was going for. An apt name for a Hydra, and a good direction to go for the deck, but more on that later.</p>
<p>Chains seem to be a large trope in <em>Theros Beyond Death</em>. Looking through the creatures, specifically those with <em>Escape</em>, the majority have some element of chains hanging from them. The imagery of chains, especially in conjunction with their attachment to manacles, gives the underworld a much stronger prison feel than it previously had in my mind.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosCost.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45676 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosCost.jpg" alt="" width="87" height="58" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Black:</strong> Amorality and pragmatism; no waste, no qualms, and no feelings.</p>
<p><strong>Green:</strong> Survival of the fittest, pure and simple. What lives will die.</p>
<p><strong>Golgari (green/black): </strong>The colors of the graveyard, rot, and necromancy. As we explored in <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lore-seeker-creepy-kraul-y/">my last article</a>, the Golgari are interested in recycling. Specifically, the Golgari necromancers make use of the dead, bringing back others to do their bidding for them. In the case of Polukranos, he is his own necromantic master.</p>
<p>I initially wanted to avoid doing creatures of the same color identity back-to-back in this series, but I made an exception because this black-green deck is going to use the graveyard in a very different way than the previous installment. In order to fuel our commander, this is a self-mill deck, so we're going to see a lot of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stitcher&#039;s Supplier" href="#" target="_blank">Stitcher&#039;s Supplier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that actively put cards in the graveyard, not to revive them like Meren, but to exile them and keep Polukranos around.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hermit Druid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satyr Wayfinder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nyx Weaver"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosArt.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45675 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosArt.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="325" /></a></p>
<p>As we can see, the head that was destroyed in the battle with Elspeth has regenerated in the underworld into two new heads, zombified, discolored, and horrible. It's interesting to me that Polukranos still has faces. <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lore-seeker-murder-king-fury-road/">When we explored Theros last</a> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tymaret, the Murder King" href="#" target="_blank">Tymaret, the Murder King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we discovered that the Zombies in the underworld lose their faces, adopting clay masks created in the underworld to hide their disfigurement and then replaced with the gold ones forged when they escape and become Returned. We also see Elspeth exempt from this mutation; likely her spark protected her (we also see her with a gold mask presumably still in the underworld, but I'll leave that rant for another day.)</p>
<p>Does this mean Polukranos has the power of a planeswalker, or are the rules just different for beasts of his nature? We will likely never know, but it does seem like a missed opportunity to put some rad gold Hydra masks on him.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosType.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45679 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosType.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="67" /></a></p>
<p>The Hydra originated from Greek mythology in the tale of Heracles (most commonly known as Hercules, the Roman adaptation). Heracles was tasked with a set of labors to redeem himself for prior actions. The Hydra was destroyed with the help of an ally and, more importantly, a golden sword that the goddess Athena bestowed upon him.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Godsend"></div></div>
<p>As a Greek-themed set, we can see a lot of the tropes of this story adapted in to <em>Magic</em>. Elspeth acts as Heracles, having been given a weapon from a God (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Godsend" href="#" target="_blank">Godsend</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) and tasked with defeating the Hydra. The biggest difference between <em>MTG</em> Hydras and those in Greek myths is their amphibious nature; the Lernaean Hydra of myth lived in a lake. We see a lot of large beasts in the water, like Leviathans, so I'm guessing they didn't want to add another big creature to blue's roster.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosRules.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45678 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosRules.jpg" alt="" width="461" height="255" /></a></p>
<p>Removing all six heads from the beast kills it, sending it to the underworld once more. We are going to imagine each head as a +1/+1 counter for the remainder our discussion here. Since the Hydra will create a new head for each removed, the fact that Polukranos comes back with twelve heads (counters) is extremely flavorful. This rationale falls apart when we get to his ability when being dealt damage removes counters, but does not regenerate heads on its own.</p>
<p>Let's introduce Polukranos to his new best friend: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The way replacement effects work is beneficial to us in this case, so instead of losing the counters, Polukranos will gain that many heads. Problem solved!</p>
<p>I want Polukranos to recreate that scene in the Disney version of Hercules. I want so many heads on this beast that they take up the entire sky.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hydraHeads.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45904 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hydraHeads.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="325" /></a></p>
<p>How do we accomplish this? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpsejack Menace" href="#" target="_blank">Corpsejack Menace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are the key pieces. With one in play, Polukranos enters with 12 from a normal casting or 24 with <em>Escape</em>. With both on the field, the fun really begins, giving us 24 heads from a normal cast or 48 with <em>Escape</em>. That's more like it!</p>
<p>Now, there are a few other options to add additional counters to creatures, but because these are really only interacting with the commander and not any other cards in the deck, two will be plenty.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Corpsejack Menace"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<hr />
<p><em>Theros Beyond Death</em> introduced a new style of basic land: the Nyx basics (or the Pokelands.) I am not a fan of these, whether for this deck or any other. The only place I think I would consider them is in a deck helmed by one of the Therosian Gods or in an enchantress deck. For this particular deck, I was having a hard time nailing down exactly what type of basic fits, but I decided to take this as an opportunity to talk about some of my favorite basics. These two were both done by my favorite <em>Magic</em> artist, <a href="http://www.johnavonart.com/">John Avon</a>. I love the saturation and depth of these two pieces, and the old border looks more like dirt, perfect to fill our graveyard with.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosBasics.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-46170 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosBasics.jpg" alt="" width="520" height="311" /></a></p>
<p>This deck is running a shockingly low number of lands, but we have a work around that I learned from the <a href="https://www.commandersbrew.com/">Commanders Brew</a> podcast. The idea in question is to lower the land count and instead run a bunch of those single-mana spells that tutor for a land, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lay of the Land" href="#" target="_blank">Lay of the Land</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Traverse the Ulvenwald" href="#" target="_blank">Traverse the Ulvenwald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The reason we want these here is to fill our graveyard with the instants/sorceries that only exist to find the land we need. Because Polukranos doesn't care what type of card is in the graveyard and simply wants a larger number of cards in there, we can use these to both fix our mana and fill the graveyard. It's a neat trick that I have wanted to incorporate in a meaningful way for some time.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Second Labor" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Polukranos, Unchained
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Walking Ballista
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Stitcher&#039;s Supplier
*1 Bloodghast
*1 Glowspore Shaman
*1 Hermit Druid
*1 Lotleth Troll
*1 Millikin
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Satyr Wayfinder
*1 Nyx Weaver
*1 Prowling Serpopard
*1 Splinterfright
*1 Springbloom Druid
*1 Stinkweed Imp
*1 Acolyte of Affliction
*1 Brawn
*1 Corpsejack Menace
*1 Erebos, God of the Dead
*1 Polukranos, World Eater
*1 World Shaper
*1 Cavalier of Thorns
*1 Doom Whisperer
*1 Underrealm Lich
*1 Nemesis of Mortals
*1 Vigor
*1 Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
*1 Ghoultree
*1 Molderhulk
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Horizon Spellbomb
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Altar of Dementia
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Perpetual Timepiece
*1 Talisman of Resilience
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Ancient Stirrings
*1 Attune with Aether
*1 Caravan Vigil
*1 Lay of the Land
*1 Traverse the Ulvenwald
*1 Dread Summons
*1 Mulch
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Night&#039;s Whisper
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Ransack the Lab
*1 Regrowth
*1 Sylvan Scrying
*1 Winding Way
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Damnation
*1 Increasing Ambition
*1 Traverse the Outlands
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Decree of Pain
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Veil of Summer
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Corpse Churn
*1 Evolution Charm
*1 Grapple with the Past
*1 Grisly Salvage
*1 Beast Within
*1 Harrow
*1 Moonlight Bargain
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crop Sigil
*1 Vessel of Nascency
*1 Greater Good
*1 Doubling Season
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Blooming Marsh
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*9 Forest
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Nurturing Peatland
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*6 Swamp
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Woodland Cemetery
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>If you're a fan of big creatures and a deck full of two-for-ones, this is the build for you. I'm very intrigued by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Unchained" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Unchained</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. That which at first looks like just a big creature leads to some interesting deckbuilding decisions. A big thanks to Tom, EDHREC's resident Greek expert, for giving me some insight into the name of Polukranos and some other general tidbits for this article.</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! As always, let me know which legendary characters you’d like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>


Lore Seeker - The Hydra

<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="EDHRECast 095 - Your Deck&#039;s Achilles Heel" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J-ADozDs1mk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Just like Achilles, every Commander deck has a secret weakness. It's not about opponents having the perfect answer to your strategy - sometimes there's a hidden weak point in the deck itself... one the deck brewer may not even know, that can be the deck's downfall. Today the EDHRECast digs through tons of deck archetypes to find out these hidden weaknesses, and how best to cover them up!</p>
<p>Follow the cast on twitter!<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/edhrecast">@EDHRECast</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/JosephMSchultz">@JosephMSchultz</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/danaroach">@danaroach</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/mathimus55">@mathimus55</a></p>
<p>Question, comment, or data insight? Email us at:<br />
edhrecast@gmail.com https://edhrec.com/</p>
<p>If you wanna see any of the decks we play, <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/edhrecast-our-decks/">you can check them out here</a>!</p>


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