<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rise of Extus" href="#" target="_blank">Rise of Extus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.wyliebeckert.com/?show=portfolio">Wylie Beckert</a>)</h6>
<h1>Looks Like We've got Another Mystery on our Hands!</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome back to <em>Archetune-Up</em>, an article series devoted to tweaking a deck with the help of the EDHREC <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes">Theme</a> <a href="https://edhrec.com/tribes">Pages</a>!</p>
<p>For this article, I wanted to cover a legend that has captured my interest from the moment they were first spoiled, and the only three-color card in <em>Strixhaven</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Extus, Oriq Overlord" href="#" target="_blank">Extus, Oriq Overlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Extus, Oriq Overlord"></div></div>
<p>Extus has been the only legend on my brain since spoiler season (seriously, it took me almost an <a href="https://twitter.com/thejesguy/status/1394121100267765761?s=20">entire month of deliberation</a> to get my personal list together), and even now he hasn't relinquished his hold over me. In an effort to try and loosen his vice-like grip (or spread his teachings, whichever you think applies), I decided to check out his average list, and see what he was working with.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Average Extus" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Extus, Oriq Overlord
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Cruel Celebrant
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Doomed Traveler
*1 Dualcaster Mage
*1 Elenda, the Dusk Rose
*1 Grim Haruspex
*1 Impulsive Pilferer
*1 Keeper of the Accord
*1 Mayhem Devil
*1 Monastery Mentor
*1 Ogre Slumlord
*1 Pawn of Ulamog
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 Sedgemoor Witch
*1 Sengir Autocrat
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Storm-Kiln Artist
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Teysa Karlov
*1 Thalisse, Reverent Medium
*1 Viscera Seer
*1 Young Pyromancer
*1 Zulaport Cutthroat
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Call the Coppercoats
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Despark
*1 Fracture
*1 Fury Storm
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Plumb the Forbidden
*1 Rise of the Dread Marn
*1 Secure the Wastes
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Thrill of Possibility
*1 Village Rites
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
*1 Talisman of Indulgence
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Anointed Procession
*1 Assemble the Legion
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 Bitterblossom
*1 Black Market
*1 Smothering Tithe
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blot Out the Sky
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Diabolic Intent
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Lingering Souls
*1 Martial Coup
*1 Painful Truths
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Reanimate
*1 Ruinous Ultimatum
[/Sorceries]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Luxury Suite
*1 Marsh Flats
*3 Mountain
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Phyrexian Tower
*4 Plains
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Savai Triome
*1 Spectator Seating
*6 Swamp
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Vault of Champions
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>With over 1,000 decks to his name, Extus is easily the most popular legend coming out of <em>Strixhaven</em>, and for good reason! He's incredibly versatile, able to build entire gameplans around either his front half or his flip side, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awaken the Blood Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Awaken the Blood Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>That said, there are two things I took away from this average list:</p>
<ul>
<li>Y'all ain't running enough lands! How in the world is <strong>33</strong> acceptable??</li>
<li>The average decklist shows that the majority of people are building around <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awaken the Blood Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Awaken the Blood Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p>Both sides of Extus are great, but each one wants their decks to do <em>slightly </em>different things. Yes, both Extus and The Blood Avatar want plenty of creatures to churn through, but Extus wants to play a bit more of a grindy game, accruing value over time with nontoken creatures. Conversely, The Blood Avatar wants a wide board of fodder to sac in order to create multiple Avatar tokens in a turn, and token fodder will often do this the best.</p>
<p>Looking at all the token makers and support in this list, a lot of these decks are geared to summon The Blood Avatar as opposed to follow the ways of Extus. I have a personal fondness for The Oriq Overlord, despite his Saturday morning cartoon villainy in the <em>Strixhaven</em> story, so he's who I'll be focusing on building around today!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Like, Zoinks, Scoob!</h2>
<p>I'll be using EDHREC's <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/aristocrats/rwb">Mardu Aristocrats Theme</a> to find the inclusions for today's list. Before I dig into the cards I added, I want to take a moment to also mention that I brought the land count up to 36 from 33. 36 is still a bit lean for me, but it is <em>a lot</em> better than the blatantly irresponsible 33 the original deck had, so with that quick fix out of the way, what does this theme hold for us?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valakut Awakening"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Agadeem&#039;s Awakening"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malakir Rebirth"></div></div>
<p>Well, it has... more land!</p>
<p>If you've read my articles this year, y'all should know how much I <span style="text-decoration: underline;">adore</span> <em>Battle for Zendikar</em>'s MDFCs. On top of being outright fantastic cards, they pull double duty in an Extus deck, since they are both lands <em>and</em> spells. They help patch up the land base while also being cards that can trigger <em>Magecraft</em> to keep the deck chugging along!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valakut Awakening" href="#" target="_blank">Valakut Awakening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agadeem&#039;s Awakening" href="#" target="_blank">Agadeem&#039;s Awakening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malakir Rebirth" href="#" target="_blank">Malakir Rebirth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hagra Mauling" href="#" target="_blank">Hagra Mauling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> were the four MFDCs found on the Aristocrats theme page, but there are a few others that would also be a perfect fit for the deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sejiri Shelter" href="#" target="_blank">Sejiri Shelter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ondu Inversion" href="#" target="_blank">Ondu Inversion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shatterskull Smashing" href="#" target="_blank">Shatterskull Smashing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all viable options for Extus, and I cannot recommend them enough!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Ruh-roh, Raggy!!</h2>
<p>Now that we've got the mana base in order, what's next? Well, while The Blood Avatar wants to force itself into the foray and bring games to an end quickly, Extus wants to move a bit slower and more methodically. What exactly does that mean, though?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tormenting Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Costly Plunder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buried Alive"></div></div>
<p>What Extus desires instead of pure power is <em>synergy</em>! Extus tacks on a free <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raise Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Raise Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with every spell we cast, so why not take advantage of that?</p>
<p>Spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tormenting Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Tormenting Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Costly Plunder" href="#" target="_blank">Costly Plunder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have additional costs needed to cast them, so if Extus is in play, even if we discard or sacrifice a creature to help pay for the spell, we can just get another right back! This is a great way to quickly and cheaply accrue value, turning the downside of these cards' additional costs into something negligible, or even beneficial! These kinds of spells are right at home here, from removal like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Final Payment" href="#" target="_blank">Final Payment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bone Splinters" href="#" target="_blank">Bone Splinters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to a reusable sac outlet like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worthy Cause" href="#" target="_blank">Worthy Cause</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All of them are welcome additions to Extus's repertoire.</p>
<p>Due to this deck being more graveyard-based than a Blood Avatar deck, we need to make sure we have ways to enable our shenanigans, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Alive" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Alive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does just that. For three mana, we get to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raise Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Raise Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a creature from our graveyard if Extus is out, and then comb through our deck for three creatures to dump them directly into our precious graveyard. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Alive" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Alive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might not be as powerful as it is in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karador, Ghost Chieftain" href="#" target="_blank">Karador, Ghost Chieftain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meren of Clan Nel Toth" href="#" target="_blank">Meren of Clan Nel Toth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, but it is still <em>fantastic</em> here. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entomb" href="#" target="_blank">Entomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the brand new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unmarked Grave" href="#" target="_blank">Unmarked Grave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <em>Modern Horizons 2</em> would also be wonderful additions in the same vein if we want some more redundancy for an effect like this.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Jinkies!</h2>
<p>I dug up a lot of interesting and powerful interactions and cards for Extus during my deep dive over the past month, and one class of card in particular stood out to me when I was constructing by personal brew. Since they weren't listed in the <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/aristocrats/rwb">Aristocrats Theme</a>, I wanted to be sure to dedicate a section to them, since I think they are so integral to how our Oriq Overlord functions.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Order of Midnight"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Merchant of the Vale"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Embereth Shieldbreaker"></div></div>
<p>Much like the MDFCs from the first section, <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=type%3Aadventure+commander%3AWBR"><em>Adventure</em> creatures</a> are important for any Extus build. Adventure cards provide the best of both worlds, with one half triggering Extus's <em>Magecraft</em> ability, and the other half that can be sacrificed and subsequently brought back! With Extus and a sacrifice outlet, you have the potential to loop two <em>Adventure</em> creatures multiple times in a turn, triggering all of your <em>Magecraft</em> effects as well as all of the effects that trigger when your creatures die.</p>
<p>While this style of card are a home-run in this deck, I only added the three most important ones: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Order of Midnight" href="#" target="_blank">Order of Midnight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merchant of the Vale" href="#" target="_blank">Merchant of the Vale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Embereth Shieldbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Embereth Shieldbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Others, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shepherd of the Flock" href="#" target="_blank">Shepherd of the Flock</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Foulmire Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Foulmire Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Realm-Cloaked Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Realm-Cloaked Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are also great inclusions, and I would highly recommend giving them all a look if you want to build Extus.</p>
<hr />
<h2>I Would Have Gotten Away With It, Too!</h2>
<p>There we have it, ten easy inclusions to make a deck more Extus-centric!</p>
<p>While I am happy with the additions to the deck, I personally think that the list could use even more more synergy to help differentiate itself from Blood Avatar decks. Swapping generic removal spells for things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spark Harvest" href="#" target="_blank">Spark Harvest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, having ways to protect Extus like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Selfless Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Selfless Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Benevolent Bodyguard" href="#" target="_blank">Benevolent Bodyguard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or having ways to loop instants and sorceries, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Living Lightning" href="#" target="_blank">Living Lightning</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghitu Chronicler" href="#" target="_blank">Ghitu Chronicler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, really makes Extus hum. In an Extus build, the cheaper, the better, and the more spells you can cast in a turn, the more likely you are to win.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spark Harvest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Selfless Savior"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Living Lightning"></div></div>
<p>That said, no matter what side you decide to build around, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Extus, Oriq Overlord" href="#" target="_blank">Extus, Oriq Overlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>//<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awaken the Blood Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Awaken the Blood Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is incredibly fun and gives Aristocrat players two different ways to go about draining the life from their opponents.</p>
<p>What about you, though? Which side do you prefer, Extus, or The Blood Avatar? Are there any neat moves that you've come up with for either side? Make sure to let me know down below!</p>
<p>As always, you can reach me on Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/thejesguy">@thejesguy</a>), where you can always hit me up for <i>Magic- </i>or Jeskai-related shenanigans 24/7. Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Please don’t hesitate to leave them below or get in touch! Stay safe, get vaccinated, wear your mask, and keep fighting the good fight. I support you. No justice, no peace.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Archetune-Up Extus Would Have Gotten Away With it Too!" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Extus, Oriq Overlord
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Cruel Celebrant
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Doomed Traveler
*1 Dualcaster Mage
*1 Elenda, the Dusk Rose
*1 Embereth Shieldbreaker
*1 Grim Haruspex
*1 Mayhem Devil
*1 Merchant of the Vale
*1 Monastery Mentor
*1 Order of Midnight
*1 Pawn of Ulamog
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 Sedgemoor Witch
*1 Sengir Autocrat
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Storm-Kiln Artist
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Teysa Karlov
*1 Viscera Seer
*1 Young Pyromancer
*1 Zulaport Cutthroat
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
*1 Talisman of Indulgence
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Call the Coppercoats
*1 Costly Plunder
*1 Despark
*1 Fury Storm
*1 Hagra Mauling
*1 Malakir Rebirth
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Plumb the Forbidden
*1 Rise of the Dread Marn
*1 Secure the Wastes
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Thrill of Possibility
*1 Valakut Awakening
*1 Village Rites
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Agadeem&#039;s Awakening
*1 Buried Alive
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Diabolic Intent
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Martial Coup
*1 Painful Truths
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Tormenting Voice
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Assemble the Legion
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 Black Market
*1 Smothering Tithe
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Luxury Suite
*1 Marsh Flats
*4 Mountain
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Phyrexian Tower
*5 Plains
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Savai Triome
*1 Spectator Seating
*7 Swamp
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Vault of Champions
[/Lands]"></span></div>



blood avatar

Archetune-Up - The Monster of the Week