<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Starting Town" href="#" target="_blank">Starting Town</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/chukov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hristo D. Chukov</a></em></p>
<div></p>
<p>May has come and gone, which means it's time for a brand new round of the Archidekt deckbuilding contest.</p>
<p>This is a monthly contest with a different theme each month. Your goal is to build a Commander-legal deck that fulfills the prompt in a creative or unique fashion. At the end of each month, three finalists will be selected for you to vote on.</p>
<p>Whoever gets the most votes will be crowned the winner, although all three finalists receive a prize.</p>
<p>Even before its upcoming release on June 13, <em>Final Fantasy</em> is the best selling <em>Magic</em> set of all time. We're embracing the hype and trying to find the best Final Fantasy brew for this month's deckbuilding contest.</p>
<p></div>
<div></p>
<h2>What’s the Contest All About?</h2>
<p>Working within the parameters of the prompt provided below, construct a decklist with your own creative spin. Three chosen finalists will be awarded <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">store credit to use on Cardsphere</a>.</p>
<p><strong>For June's deckbuilding contest, build a Commander-legal list around a new card, or set of cards, from <em>Final Fantasy</em>. This could be building a deck with a new commander from the set, or using any card from the set as a central part of your strategy. If you choose not to use a <em>Final Fantasy</em> commander, be sure that your <em>Final Fantasy</em> card(s) are a key part of your deck's game plan. As always, submissions will be judged on creativity and originality.<br />
</strong></p>
<p></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Choco, Seeker of Paradise"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Wandering Minstrel"></div></div>
<p><em>Final Fantasy</em> adds a whopping 162 brand new commanders to <em>Magic</em>. From new commanders for familiar archetypes, to commanders that enable brand new strategies, there are plenty of options to choose from. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Choco, Seeker of Paradise" href="#" target="_blank">Choco, Seeker of Paradise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fresh option for the burgeoning Bird decks, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Freya Crescent" href="#" target="_blank">Freya Crescent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might breath new life into an old Equipment deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Wandering Minstrel" href="#" target="_blank">The Wandering Minstrel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works with a new land sub-type, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zidane, Tantalus Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Zidane, Tantalus Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an effect we've never really seen before.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Bahamut"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buster Sword"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ishgard, the Holy See"></div></div>
<p>But new commanders aren't the only thing to be excited about. Powerful new Equipment like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buster Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Buster Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Mage&#039;s Rod" href="#" target="_blank">Black Mage&#039;s Rod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can easily form the centerpiece of a deck. The new Summons lend a lot of support to Historic and Saga decks, especially powerful finishers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Primal Odin" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Primal Odin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <em>Final Fantasy</em> has also introduced lands with Adventure spells, which means you can now recur actual spells with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Life from the Loam" href="#" target="_blank">Life from the Loam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hope Estheim"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Estinien Varlineau"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jumbo Cactuar"></div></div>
<p>There are also plenty of opportunities to get a little weird. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hope Estheim" href="#" target="_blank">Hope Estheim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings mill and lifegain together, the combination we didn't know we needed. Dragons also got a new commander, in a new color combination, thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Estinien Varlineau" href="#" target="_blank">Estinien Varlineau</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Or you could focus on his other effect, and build an Orzhov spellslinger deck. Finally, there's no shortage of uses for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jumbo Cactuar" href="#" target="_blank">Jumbo Cactuar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. What can you do with 10,000 power?</p>
<h2>How to Participate</h2>
<ul>
<li>Brew an EDH/Commander legal deck on <a href="https://archidekt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt</a> that satisfies the prompt.</li>
<li>Any unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration are allowed.</li>
<li>Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are not allowed.</li>
<li>Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are not allowed.</li>
<li>Strictly one deck submitted per user.</li>
</ul>
<p>Reply to the Archidekt news post, or submission post on the <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt Discord</a> with a link to your deck before <strong>9:00 pm EST</strong> (UTC -4, currently) on <strong>Wednesday, June 11, 2025</strong> (do not submit the same deck in multiple places).</p>
<p>Only one submission per user! From the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!</p>
<div></p>
<p>On <strong>Wednesday, June 18, 2025</strong>, we’ll announce three finalists via the Archidekt Discord and a brief article on EDHREC highlighting each deck.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/sets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Each finalist will be awarded credit to use on Cardsphere</a>. The value of the credit is in US dollars and depends on the finalist's placement in deck upvotes at the end of the week-long polling period:</p>
<ul>
<li>1st Place Prize - $250</li>
<li>2nd Place Prize - $150</li>
<li>3rd Place Prize - $100</li>
</ul>
<p></div>
<p>Finalists will be contacted via email or Discord (depending on where they submitted) regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on <strong>Wednesday, June 25, 2025</strong>.</p>
<p>Please note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free - <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/signup?referrer=archidekt_contest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a> if you don't have an account already!</p>
<p>Here are the <a href="https://archidekt.com/contestRules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official contest rules</a>. If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or join the Archidekt <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public Discord server</a>. We look forward to seeing what you all come up with!</p>


Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest - June 2025

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Flyquest</h6>
<p>Mark your calendars, <em>Final Fantasy</em> fans! <a href="https://archidekt.com/flyquest">Archidekt is teaming up with Flyquest</a>, a multi-title American esports organization, to host the epic celebrity Duel Land event!</p>
<p>Duel Land is a streaming charity and <em>Final Fantasy</em> prerelease tournament hosted by Flyquest, featuring sixteen well-known names from the <em>Magic</em> and esports worlds.</p>
<p>These titans of their respective gaming universes will clash head-to-head for $5,000 to go to the charity of the winning team's choice.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Introducing Duel Land: A Celebrity Magic: The Gathering Tournament" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2B7-O30WSwI?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>
<h2>Who's hosting the event?</h2>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/flyquest">Brought to you by Archidekt</a>, Duel Land will be hosted by <em>Magic</em> personality <strong>Brian Kibler</strong> and esports veteran <strong>Travis Gafford</strong>. The event seeks to put sixteen creators into eight teams of two for this 2-day 2HG competition.</p>
<p>Each team shall consist of a <em>Magic</em> player and an esports player. The format? <em>Final Fantasy</em> 2-Headed Giant Sealed.</p>
<p>Your favorite MTG and esports personalities will also be showcasing some of Archidekt's coolest collection and deckbuilding features to check out on stream as you brew up your own <em>Final Fantasy</em> decks.</p>
<h3>What does the event schedule look like?</h3>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-155176" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule.png" alt="flyquest event schedule" width="512" height="236" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule.png 512w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule-300x138.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p>
<p><strong>On Day One</strong>, the competing teams will be put into two groups to compete.</p>
<p>The top two teams from each group will face each other on <strong>Day Two</strong> for the title, and $5,000 to go to the charity of their choice.</p>
<p>You can also<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/EDHRECast"> expect to see the EDHRECast</a> at the event for a Commander Showmatch on Day Two!</p>
<p><strong>Day Three</strong> also promises epic action on the Bracket stage!</p>
<h2>Where can I watch?</h2>
<p>The Duel Land charity event will be streaming LIVE on <strong>June 14th and 15th</strong>!</p>
<p><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/FLYQUEST">Be sure to bookmark the Flyquest Twitch page</a> and get notifications for match start times.</p>
<p>For more information on this prestigious for-charity event, you can also visit <a href="https://flyquest.gg/pages/duelland">Flyquest's dedicated event page</a>.</p>
<p>Which celebrities and MTG personalities do you think will head up this epic charity prerelease event?</p>
<p>More information will be available soon, <a href="https://edhrec.com/flyquest">so stay tuned</a>!</p>


Archidekt x Flyquest To Host Celebrity Final Fantasy Prerelease Event June 14-15

Deckbuilding Contest Finalists - May 2025

Deckbuilding Contest Finalists - March 2025

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Experiment One" href="#" target="_blank">Experiment One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://www.chasestoneart.com/">Chase Stone</a></h6>
<p>Welcome to spring! My name is Ben, and you may know me from <em>Conditions Allow</em>, my article series on EDHREC and <a href="https://commandersherald.com/tag/conditions-allow/">Commander's Herald</a>. It is my great pleasure to bring the Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest to EDHREC.</p>
<p>This will be a monthly contest with a different theme each month.</p>
<p>Your goal is to build a Commander legal deck that fulfills the prompt in a creative or unique fashion. At the end of each month, three finalists will be selected for you to vote on.</p>
<p>Whoever gets the most votes will be crowned the winner, although all three finalists receive a prize.</p>
<p>At the beginning of last month, Gavin Verhey introduced the Commander Brackets Beta. Now, after a month of testing and adjusting, we want to see your wildest, most creative Exhibition (Bracket 1) decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inspired Idea"></div></div>
<div></p>
<h3>What’s The Contest All About?</h3>
<p>Working within the parameters of the prompt provided below, construct a decklist with your own creative spin. Three chosen finalists will be awarded store credit to <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/">cardsphere.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>For March's deckbuilding contest, brew a Commander-legal list that fits the criteria for the Exhibition Bracket (Bracket 1) of the new <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/introducing-commander-brackets-beta">Commander Brackets Beta</a>. Decks in this bracket are focused on showcasing a unique or unusual idea or theme. Decks will be judged both on the creativity of their theme, and how well the deck shows it off.</strong></p>
<p>As you're brewing, keep in mind that Archidekt's new Bracket Estimator usually won't estimate your deck as Bracket 1. The main difference between the Exhibition (B1) and Core (B2) brackets is your intent.</p>
<p>Archidekt cannot know what your goal with a deck is, so we assume that you, like most players, are trying to beat your friends, and default to the Core (2) bracket for decks without tutors, two card combos, and game changers. Be sure to manually set your deck's bracket to 1 when you submit.</p>
<p></div>
<div></p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Repopulate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ambition&#039;s Cost"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcanist&#039;s Owl"></div></div></p>
<p>The core of this deckbuilding challenge is having a strong theme to show off. The more concrete your vision, the easier it'll be to find cards that fit.</p>
<p>This could be related to the art, such as including only cards that show a certain animal, or chairs. It could also be mechanical, such as requiring each card to reference the number four, or contain only prime numbers.</p>
<p>You could also think more abstractly. What would Twelfth Night look like as a Commander deck? What cards would you choose to represent your favorite vacation spot?</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vadrok, Apex of Thunder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spy Kit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scroll of Fate"></div></div></p>
<p>For the truly mechanically minded out there, combo decks aren't off the table for this challenge either. Since you're in Bracket 1 you can't include any two-card infinite combos, or tutors to help put the pieces together, this is the perfect chance to show off a convoluted combo that requires too many cards for a "normal" deck.</p>
<p>Extra bonus points if your combo doesn't win the game, but creates a unique board state, or showcases a niche rules interaction.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cut Down"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Double Down"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="By Invitation Only"></div></div></p>
<p>While the idea is important, the key to success with this month's prompt will be the individual cards you include. As many cards as possible should be included to support your theme or idea.</p>
<p>Scryfall is an excellent tool for finding the exact card you need. Between advanced search and art tags, you should be able to find exactly what you need.</p>
<p></div>
<h3>How To Participate</h3>
<ul>
<li>Brew an EDH/Commander legal deck on <a href="https://archidekt.com/">Archidekt</a> that satisfies the prompt.</li>
<li>Any unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration are allowed.</li>
<li>Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are not allowed.</li>
<li>Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are not allowed.</li>
<li>Strictly one deck submitted per user.</li>
</ul>
<p>Reply to the <a href="https://archidekt.com/forum/thread/11254934">Archidekt newspost</a>, or submission post on the <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36">Archidekt Discord</a> with a link to your deck before <strong>9:00 pm EST</strong> (UTC -5, currently) on <strong>Wednesday, March 12, 2025</strong> (do not submit the same deck in multiple places).</p>
<p>Only one submission per user! From the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!</p>
<div></p>
<p>On <strong>Wednesday, March 19, 2025</strong>, we’ll announce three finalists via the Archidekt Discord and a brief article on EDHREC highlighting each deck.</p>
<p>Each finalist will be awarded credit on cardsphere.com. The value of the credit is in US dollars and depends on the finalist's placement in deck upvotes at the end of the week-long polling period:</p>
<ul>
<li>1st Place Prize - $250</li>
<li>2nd Place Prize - $150</li>
<li>3rd Place Prize - $100</li>
</ul>
<p></div>
<p>Finalists will be contacted via email or Discord (depending on where they submitted) regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on <strong>Wednesday, March 26, 2025</strong>.</p>
<p>Please note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free-- <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/">register here</a> if you don't have an account already!</p>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/contestRules">Official contest rules</a>.</p>
<p>If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or join the Archidekt <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36">public Discord server</a>. We look forward to seeing what you all come up with!</p>


Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest - March 2025

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Retreat" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Retreat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://www.ralphhorsley.co.uk/">Ralph Horsley</a></h6>
<p>Happy February! My name is Ben, and you may know me from <em>Conditions Allow</em>, my article series on EDHREC and <a href="https://commandersherald.com/tag/conditions-allow/">Commander's Herald</a>. It is my great pleasure to bring the Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest to EDHREC.</p>
<p>This will be a monthly contest with a different theme each month.</p>
<p>Your goal is to build a Commander legal deck that fulfills the prompt in a creative or unique fashion. At the end of each month, three finalists will be selected for you to vote on.</p>
<p>Whoever gets the most votes will be crowned the winner, although all three finalists receive a prize.</p>
<p>This is the second contest of the year, so we're focusing on the number two. Specifically, two color decks that do something unexpected.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saw It Coming"></div></div>
<div></p>
<h3>What’s The Contest All About?</h3>
<p>Working within the parameters of the prompt provided below, construct a decklist with your own creative spin. Three chosen finalists will be awarded store credit to <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/">cardsphere.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>For February's deckbuilding contest, brew a two color Commander-legal deck with a theme or strategy not usually seen in those colors. The more unexpected your deck's theme is, the better.</strong></p>
<p></div>
<div></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>One of <em>Magic: The Gathering's</em> defining features is the color pie, which defines what each of the five colors can do in the game. This ensures each color plays differently, and allows players to express themselves through the cards they choose to include in their decks.</p>
<p>Each of these identities can also be interpreted in different ways, which opens up many different styles of play even among the same colors.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Felidar Retreat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blasphemous Act"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lifetap"></div></div></p>
<p>With thirty years of cards to choose from, however, there's no reason to limit your deckbuilding to what the color pie says. Every year we get new cards that push and pull the colors in different directions.</p>
<p>Can you build a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> landfall deck, or a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> control deck? What about a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> lifegain deck? You're not supposed to, but that shouldn't stop us from trying.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hobbit&#039;s Sting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Young Wolf"></div></div></p>
<p>This is also a great exercise for building a color pair you're very familiar with. Thinking outside the box is a great way to break old patterns and reignite a passion you might've lost.</p>
<p>Similarly, this could be the perfect time to revisit a color pair you don't like. What used to be strange and unwieldy can become fresh and invigorating when approached from a different angle.</p>
<p>If you love Burn decks, try porting that to Azorius, or take your favorite Orzhov deck and rebuild it as Simic.</p>
<p></div>
<h3>How To Participate</h3>
<ul>
<li>Brew an EDH/Commander legal deck on <a href="https://archidekt.com/">Archidekt</a> that satisfies the prompt.</li>
<li>Any unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration are allowed.</li>
<li>Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are not allowed.</li>
<li>Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are not allowed.</li>
<li>Strictly one deck submitted per user.</li>
</ul>
<p>Reply to the <a href="https://archidekt.com/forum/thread/11254934">Archidekt newspost</a>, or submission post on the <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36">Archidekt Discord</a> with a link to your deck before <strong>9:00 pm EST</strong> (UTC -5, currently) on <strong>Wednesday, February 12, 2025</strong> (do not submit the same deck in multiple places). Only one submission per user! From the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!</p>
<div></p>
<p>On <strong>Wednesday, February 19, 2025</strong>, we’ll announce three finalists via the Archidekt Discord and a brief article on EDHREC highlighting each deck. Each finalist will be awarded credit on cardsphere.com. The value of the credit is in US dollars and depends on the finalist's placement in deck upvotes at the end of the week-long polling period:</p>
<ul>
<li>1st Place Prize - $250</li>
<li>2nd Place Prize - $150</li>
<li>3rd Place Prize - $100</li>
</ul>
<p></div>
<p>Finalists will be contacted via email or Discord (depending on where they submitted) regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on <strong>Wednesday, February 26, 2025</strong>. Please note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free-- <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/">register here</a> if you don't have an account already!</p>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/contestRules">Official contest rules</a>.</p>
<p>If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or join the Archidekt <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36">public Discord server</a>. We look forward to seeing what you all come up with!</p>


Deckbuilding Contest - February 2025

Deckbuilding Contest Finalists - January 2025

Digital Deckbuilding - Archidekt Deck Comparison and EDHREC Salt Scores

Digital Deckbuilding - EDHREC Themes and Tags

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Join Forces" href="#" target="_blank">Join Forces</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://aurorefolny.com/">Aurore Folny</a>)</h6>
<p>Friendly greetings and welcome to <em>Digital Deckbuilding</em>, the series about using online tools to build Commander decks. I'm John Sherwood, and this week deckbuilding is a team sport. There's no "<em>I"</em> in team, but there is a "<em>we</em>" in brew if you read it backwards. Don't roll your eyes at me; you're supposed to stretch before exercise. <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/dana-roach/">Dana Roach</a> of <a href="https://youtube.com/@EDHRECast?si=koBZYQdozNX1kIqz">EDHRECast</a> graciously agreed to be my deckbuilding teammate to demonstrate the Collaborators feature on <a href="http://www.archidekt.com">Archidekt</a>.</p>
<h1>Tryouts - Adding Collaborators</h1>
<p>You can easily add or remove Collaborators in any of your decks on Archidekt. From the deck page, simply click the <strong>Collaborators</strong> icon on the menu bar or navigate to the <strong>Extra Settings</strong> tab of <strong>Deck Settings</strong>.</p>
<p>Archidekt's official description of the Collaborators feature explains the most essential information: "This feature allows users to share their decks with others and update them in real time together. Setting someone as a collaborator grants them privileges to make any changes to the deck that an owner could outside of anything in the Main Settings."</p>
<p>In other words, you can add any other Archidekt user as a collaborator. Be courteous and don't try to add someone as a Collaborator unless they already agreed to it. Just because you can add any user, doesn't mean you should. Even though it is still your deck, you are giving another user the ability to make any changes they want to cards, tags and categories. So don't add anyone you don't trust to make decisions for the deck's contents.</p>
<h6 style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-095926_Chrome.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-118524 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-095926_Chrome-e1708704180906-1024x469.jpg" alt="Screenshot of Colloborators in Deck Settings on Archidekt." width="1024" height="469" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-095926_Chrome-e1708704180906-1024x469.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-095926_Chrome-e1708704180906-300x138.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-095926_Chrome-e1708704180906-768x352.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-095926_Chrome-e1708704180906-1536x704.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-095926_Chrome-e1708704180906.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>The Collaborators feature is in Deck Settings under Extra Settings.</h6>
<p>If another user adds you as a Collaborator, you can see the deck in Archidekt's main menu by clicking on <strong>Shared with me</strong>. Collaborators cannot change the deck name, format, game type, description or privacy settings. If you agree to Collaborate on someone else's deck, make sure the changes you make are in line with the owner's intent.</p>
<h1>Make a Gameplan</h1>
<p>Good deck collaboration takes coordination. Start by agreeing on a plan and laying some ground rules. Most of the factors you normally consider for deckbuilding are now shared by multiple minds, so communication is key. I recommend discussing topics like budget, theme and strategy to get all Collaborators pointed at the same goal.</p>
<p>My inspiration for this week's deck came from a Two-Headed Giant variant of Commander, in which each player brings half of a partner deck. I wanted to channel some of that concept into a Collaborator deck with the Backgrounds from <em>Battle for Baldur's Gate</em>. Based on EDHREC numbers, I believe a lot of interesting <a href="http://www.edhrec.com/backgrounds">background pairings</a> are underutilized in the format. After discussing options, Dana and I agreed to build <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Volo, Itinerant Scholar" href="#" target="_blank">Volo, Itinerant Scholar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with the background <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultist of the Absolute" href="#" target="_blank">Cultist of the Absolute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Volo, Itinerant Scholar"></div></div> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cultist of the Absolute"></div></div></p>
<p>With about 1,500 decks on EDHREC, this version of Volo is fourteenth for popularity among "Choose a Background" commanders. When Dana and I started this project only one of those decks included Cultist of the Absolute in the command zone. I proposed a strategy of using creatures with Changeling to maximize the number of creature types for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Volo&#039;s Journal" href="#" target="_blank">Volo&#039;s Journal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and suggested dividing the build by colors. I volunteered to build the black half of the deck because I tend to avoid black and I wanted to challenge myself.</p>
<h1>Spring Training</h1>
<p>Archidekt's Collaborator feature works seamlessly, even with two users making changes at the same time. The next screenshot shows a segment of the Deck History, in which Dana and I were both adding cards.</p>
<h6 style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-101811_Chrome.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-118527" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-101811_Chrome.jpg" alt="A screenshot of cards added in deck history." width="983" height="849" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-101811_Chrome.jpg 983w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-101811_Chrome-300x259.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240223-101811_Chrome-768x663.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 983px) 100vw, 983px" /></a>Deck History is useful for retracing your steps in the deck building process.</h6>
<p>A couple notable points in the process involved <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necroduality" href="#" target="_blank">Necroduality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I initially left out Reassembling Skeleton because it wasn't a changeling. Dana later recommended the card because it can be repeatedly sacrificed. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reassembling Skeleton"></div></div> This card is a workhorse for both sacrifice and reanimator decks. The ability to repeatedly sacrifice it to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultist of the Absolute" href="#" target="_blank">Cultist of the Absolute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is key, and it does have two creature types to contribute to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Volo&#039;s Journal" href="#" target="_blank">Volo&#039;s Journal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Necroduality"></div></div> Dana suggested Necroduality after we finished the 99. Making token copies of creatures is always good, so I opted to cut <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krydle of Baldur&#039;s Gate" href="#" target="_blank">Krydle of Baldur&#039;s Gate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make room.</p>
<p>Both of these picks demonstrate the advantage of having multiple perspectives to recognize mistakes and find untapped synergies.</p>
<h1>Pregame Pep Talk With Dana Roach</h1>
<p>As the deck neared completion, I had a few questions for Dana about the deckbuilding in general, and collaborating in particular.</p>
<p><strong>John: "</strong>How would you describe your deck building style?"</p>
<p><strong>Dana:</strong> "I treat deckbuilding as a creative expression. That's almost always my primary concern. I want to win, don't get me wrong, but I want to win my way. To achieve that I start with a concept that sparks my interest, and then try to find a commander that can enable that. I also want that idea to generally not reflect something commonly played."</p>
<p><strong>John: </strong>"What card were you most excited to add to this deck?"</p>
<p><strong>Dana</strong>: "<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faces of the Past" href="#" target="_blank">Faces of the Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, though to be honest I'm not entirely sure if it will be helpful or just chaotic. But I've always wanted a deck to use it this might be it."</p>
<p><strong>John:</strong> "Is there any advice you would give players for collaborating on Archidekt?"</p>
<p><strong>Dana</strong><strong>:</strong> "Keep it simple. Archidekt has a lot of great advanced features, but you want to make the collaborative process as easy for both parties as possible, especially when you're starting. Once you've got the deck roughed out you can maybe expand out to use things like custom categories, etcetera, but to start with keep it basic."</p>
<p><strong>John:</strong> "What do you see as the best application for the collaborator tool in the Commander community?"</p>
<p><strong>Dana:</strong> "It's really useful for content creators doing live-style brews. For non-creators, it's just a good way to get help from friends, especially if you're a newer player and find it hard to dig through cards, etc."</p>
<h1>Opening Day - Teamwork For the Win</h1>
<p>Reddit subs, Discord channels and other forums are overflowing with players asking for help with decks. Archidekt's Collaborators feature takes community deckbuilding to the next level. Like Dana said, "it's just a good way to get help from friends." Let's not forget the subtitle of this game is <em>THE GATHERING</em>. Collaborating on decks is another way for us to gather and enjoy <em>Magic.</em></p>
<p>You can check out the deck Dana and I built together below. Huge thanks to Dana Roach for Collaborating with me on this deck and this article. For more great content from Dana, check out his <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/dana-roach/">articles on EDHREC</a>, or watch the <a href="https://youtube.com/@EDHRECast?si=koBZYQdozNX1kIqz">EDHRECast on Youtube</a>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Digital Deckbuilding - Collaboration" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Cultist of the Absolute
*1 Volo, Itinerant Scholar
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Amoeboid Changeling
*1 Bloodline Pretender
*1 Cairn Wanderer
*1 Changeling Outcast
*1 Cordial Vampire
*1 Ghostly Changeling
*1 Glasspool Mimic // Glasspool Shore
*1 Graveshifter
*1 Mistwalker
*1 Moonglove Changeling
*1 Morbid Opportunist
*1 Mothdust Changeling
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Orvar, the All-Form
*1 Ramses, Assassin Lord
*1 Reassembling Skeleton
*1 Shapesharer
*1 Skeletal Changeling
*1 Turtleshell Changeling
*1 Universal Automaton
*1 Venomous Changeling
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Blade of the Bloodchief
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Dragon&#039;s Hoard
*1 Ghost Lantern // Bind Spirit
*1 Maskwood Nexus
*1 Midnight Clock
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Progenitor&#039;s Icon
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Vorpal Sword
*1 Whispersteel Dagger
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Agent of the Shadow Thieves
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 Dire Undercurrents
*1 Faces of the Past
*1 Kindred Discovery
*1 Liliana&#039;s Contract
*1 Necroduality
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation
*1 Reflections of Littjara
*1 Sadistic Glee
*1 The Meathook Massacre
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Crippling Fear
*1 Feed the Swarm
*1 Pact of the Serpent
*1 Raise the Palisade
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Bitter Triumph
*1 Counterspell
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire
*1 March of Swirling Mist
*1 Pongify
*1 Raise the Draugr
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Resculpt
*1 Sheoldred&#039;s Edict
*1 Swan Song
*1 Vona&#039;s Hunger
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Clearwater Pathway // Murkwater Pathway
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darkwater Catacombs
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*8 Island
*1 Morphic Pool
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Pit of Offerings
*1 Riptide Laboratory
*1 Shipwreck Marsh
*1 Shizo, Death&#039;s Storehouse
*1 Sunken Ruins
*9 Swamp
*1 Swarmyard
*1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
*1 Underground River
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Witch&#039;s Cottage
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<hr />
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