How to Build Esper Pixie in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon" href="#" target="_blank">Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://borjapindado.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Borja Pindado</a></em></p>
<p>When it comes to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon" href="#" target="_blank">Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's difficult to tell whether he's comprised of fresh water or salt water. Today, we're here to wash away any vaguery and establish that Hydro-Man's saltier than the <a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/76147-saltiest-lake" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gaet'ale Pond</a> in Ethiopia (from context you can guess that yes, that's the saltiest body of water in the world).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon"></div></div>
<p>But what makes our moist friend so salty? Reading the card itself up there, there's nothing particularly salt-inducing about its mechanics. It's certainly weird; that part's not up for debate. But salty? There are many worse offenders when it comes to salty commanders out there.</p>
<h2>What Does Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon Do?</h2>
<p>So what <em>does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon" href="#" target="_blank">Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></em> do? For two blue pips, we get a 2/2 Elemental Villain with two abilities, the first being considerably more normal than the second.</p>
<p>Whenever we cast a blue spell, Hydro-Man gets +1/+1 until end of turn. We've seen variations on that line of text before on cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quirion Dryad|PLS|89" href="#" target="_blank">Quirion Dryad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and more accurately, a scarcely-seen common Merfolk from <em>Shadowmoor, </em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravelgill Duo" href="#" target="_blank">Gravelgill Duo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. No surprises there.</p>
<p>It's that second block of text that takes Hydro-Man from forgettable to unique. At the end of each of our turns, we untap Hydro-Man and he ceases to be a creature. Until it's our turn again, he's a land that taps for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. And...that's it.</p>
<p>There are some important things to remember when it comes to Hydro-Man's ability to de- and reconstitute himself depending on whose turn it happens to be. First, while he becomes a land that taps for blue, he is <em>not </em>an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Island" href="#" target="_blank">Island</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He's not a basic land. He's just particularly wet. This is important to note when we're dealing with land-based deviance from opponents - especially <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Moon" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Moon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>It's all about layers and dependency and timestamps, but at the end of the day, if Blood Moon's in play and Hydro-Man's a land, he's "Legendary Land - Mountain" and has the ability to tap for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> <em>and </em>the ability to tap for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. He still shifts back to a creature on your turn, since that's a continuous effect not interrupted by Blood Moon.</p>
<p>The other important thing to remember is that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evacuation" href="#" target="_blank">Evacuation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an instant.</p>
<p>So how do we build a Hydro-Man deck that's mostly budget-friendly, is firmly Bracket 2, and is one of the most miserable things to play against?</p>
<p>That last part isn't a goal so much as a consequence, by the way.</p>
<h2>Watery Owl Netsuke</h2>
<p>A while back (and by "a while" I mean nearly 20 years ago now) there was a Standard deck called "Owling Mine." It made waves (pun intended) at Pro Tour Honolulou in 2006 by using cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Howling Mine|9ED|298" href="#" target="_blank">Howling Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to fill the opponent's hand, then bounce everything they played with stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boomerang|9ED|66" href="#" target="_blank">Boomerang</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Remand|RAV|63" href="#" target="_blank">Remand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Once their hand was overflowing, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ebony Owl Netsuke" href="#" target="_blank">Ebony Owl Netsuke</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would start dealing damage in chunks until casting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sudden Impact|9ED|222" href="#" target="_blank">Sudden Impact</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was lethal. It's a great deck, and probably one of the absolute worst to play against when things are going well for the Owling Mine player.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evacuation|9ED|75"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Howling Mine|9ED|298"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ebony Owl Netsuke"></div></div>
<p>We're taking inspiration from Owling Mine and applying it to a Hydro-Man Commander deck, in the hopes that our opponents will learn to fear the aquatic villainy of the most moist man in Manhattan.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon" href="#" target="_blank">Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aetherize"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Engulf the Shore"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Perplexing Test"></div></div>
<p>The fact that our commander isn't a creature during opponents' turns means he can successfully dodge mass bounce spells cast at instant-speed. He even pitches in a mana to cast them, which really is just nice of him.</p>
<p>Like Owling Mine, we're trying to prevent our opponents from gaining momentum by repeatedly sending their permanents back to their hand, and we've got plenty of ways to do that. And it's not just creature bounce, either:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Filter Out"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hurkyl&#039;s Recall"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rebuild"></div></div>
<p>We're leaning heavily into the mass bounce spells as opposed to the targeted ones that Owling Mine used to play, since we've got three opponents trying to cast spells instead of just one.</p>
<p>And realistically, opponents who catch wind of what we're trying to do aren't going to be happy, so expect to be the table's villain whenever a game gets rolling - which, if we're being honest, is written right on Hydro-Man's card. If anything, this deck is Villain-themed. Maybe it's actually Bracket 1?</p>
<p>Anyway, we've got sorcery-speed mass-bounce too, just to really hammer home the point:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aether Gale"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Consuming Tide"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inundate"></div></div>
<h2>How Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon" href="#" target="_blank">Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Win?</h2>
<p>So we've got that part of the game plan sorted. How do we, you know, <em>win</em>? Just like our Owling Mine inspiration, we just have to establish the punishers. Unlike Owling Mine, though, we aren't locked into a pool of cards limited to the Standard environment of <em>Ninth Edition, Ravnica: City of Guilds</em>, and the Kamigawa Block.</p>
<p>Naturally, we've got the eponymous Owl, but we can surround it with a number of other annoyingly damaging artifacts:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Vise"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Iron Maiden"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Misers&#039; Cage"></div></div>
<p>There are a few others, but outside of the Owl, this trio is our bread-and-butter. We want to get these down as early as we can, make copies of them with things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sculpting Steel" href="#" target="_blank">Sculpting Steel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Metamorph" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Metamorph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, then rake in the benefits of having opponents with hands full of random whatever. That's step two of our plan. We've got ways to keep permanents in-hand and not in play, and we've got the means to turn the currency of cards in-hand into raw damage.</p>
<p>You may now be wondering how we don't just die through attrition, and that's valid.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcane Laboratory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Propaganda"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frozen Aether"></div></div>
<p>It's all about buying time to let Owl and Friends do their diabolical work. We're building a wall, slick with Hydro-Man's salty, salty water, that says "Yes, I've ruined this game of Commander, but it's not worth the effort of trying to make me suffer the consequences of my actions."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aether Barrier"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dissipation Field"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thorn of Amethyst"></div></div>
<p>Really, it's everyone else's fault for building decks that rely so much on resolving and using permanents. And we've got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thorn of Amethyst" href="#" target="_blank">Thorn of Amethyst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in here, but be sure to point out that no, this is <em>not </em>a Stax deck, because Stax as a strategy undermines the spirit of lower bracket Commander games, and we wouldn't do that.</p>
<p>Hydro-Man wouldn't do that.</p>
<p>What Hydro-Man <em>would </em>do, though, is provide everyone with cards. People <em>love </em>drawing cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jace&#039;s Archivist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prosperity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forced Fruition"></div></div>
<p>As you might have guessed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Folio of Fancies" href="#" target="_blank">Folio of Fancies</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a critical card for ensuring games aren't hours-long slogfests. If everyone's discarding down to seven cards each turn, that just means it'll take longer for the Owl to hoot its heralding misery.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Folio of Fancies"></div></div>
<p>If budget weren't a concern, we'd be playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anvil of Bogardan" href="#" target="_blank">Anvil of Bogardan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a heartbeat. (Does Hydro-Man even <em>have </em>a heart?)</p>
<p>In all reality, what we're building here is precarious at best, and any deck that tries to simultaneously flood the game with resources while trying to limit the implementation of those resources is really just trying to plug 11 leaks with ten fingers.</p>
<p>But if everything comes together, it's all worth it - at least it is for us. It's probably important to note that while the deck features no <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a> and is exactly Bracket 2 in power level, it's at a 60.8 on <a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/15744424/hydroman_fresh_or_salty" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt's Salt Scale</a>.</p>
<p>For context, the median Salt Score for decks is 38. So if you sleeve this bad boy up, you know what you're doing.</p>
<hr />
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon" href="#" target="_blank">Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Hydro-Man, Owling Brine" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Archaeomancer
*1 Dreamscape Artist
*1 Fog Bank
*1 Jace&#039;s Archivist
*1 Peregrine Drake
*1 Phyrexian Metamorph
*1 Spellskite
*1 Viseling
*1 Zenith Chronicler
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*1 Black Vise
*1 Crawlspace
*1 Ebony Owl Netsuke
*1 Folio of Fancies
*1 Geth&#039;s Grimoire
*1 Iron Maiden
*1 Meekstone
*1 Misers&#039; Cage
*1 Sapphire Medallion
*1 Sculpting Steel
*1 Skullcage
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Teferi&#039;s Puzzle Box
*1 Temple Bell
*1 Thorn of Amethyst
*1 Vedalken Orrery
*1 Vedalken Shackles
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*1 Aetherize
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Counterspell
*1 Displace
*1 Engulf the Shore
*1 Evacuation
*1 Filter Out
*1 Ghostly Flicker
*1 High Tide
*1 Hurkyl&#039;s Recall
*1 Negate
*1 Perplexing Test
*1 Pongify
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Rebuild
*1 Remand
*1 Shadow Rift
*1 Snap
*1 Vision Skeins
[/Instant]
[Enchantment]
*1 Aether Barrier
*1 Arcane Laboratory
*1 Dissipation Field
*1 Forced Fruition
*1 Frozen Aether
*1 Imprisoned in the Moon
*1 Mana Breach
*1 Mirrormade
*1 Propaganda
*1 Psychic Vortex
*1 Words of Wind
[/Enchantment]
[Sorcery]
*1 Aether Gale
*1 Consuming Tide
*1 Inundate
*1 Prosperity
*1 Wash Out
*1 Windfall
[/Sorcery]
[Lands]
*1 Academy Ruins
*1 Archway of Innovation
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Fabled Passage
*27 Island
*1 Lonely Sandbar
*1 Maze of Ith
*1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<hr />
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>As I mentioned, there aren't any Game Changers in here. But what if we wanted some?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cyclonic Rift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fierce Guardianship"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Intuition"></div></div>
<p>Really, Game Changers aren't going to do a whole lot for us. Sure, being able to include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would be immensely helpful, but in our deck we're using it for its intended purpose of bouncing things. It just bounces things better than the stuff we're already using to bounce things.</p>
<p>We'd also be playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sunder" href="#" target="_blank">Sunder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is considered "mass land denial" and is thus relegated to higher bracket - a card especially well-suited for Hydro-Man since we can play it on our turn while he's a creature, then be up a land when he melts back into a puddle.</p>
<p>As mentioned before, one of our self-imposed constraints with this list is price, which is why we're not running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anvil of Bogardan" href="#" target="_blank">Anvil of Bogardan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If you've got a well-worn collection already, though, what else could we find room for?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anvil of Bogardan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Font of Mythos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wheel and Deal"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time Warp"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mind Over Matter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scroll Rack"></div></div>
<p>Is there anything we're missing here? Anything you'd add?</p>
<h3>More <em>Spider-Man</em>:</h3>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="xCCRWku87E"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/doctor-octopus-master-planner-deck-tech/">Doctor Octopus, Master Planner Deck Tech</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Doctor Octopus, Master Planner Deck Tech&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/doctor-octopus-master-planner-deck-tech/embed/#?secret=1R1aQ39tQq#?secret=xCCRWku87E" data-secret="xCCRWku87E" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="xD1dqIBezG"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/lady-octopus-inspired-inventor-deck-tech/">Lady Octopus, Inspired Inventor Deck Tech</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Lady Octopus, Inspired Inventor Deck Tech&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/lady-octopus-inspired-inventor-deck-tech/embed/#?secret=9wcoaEKnwM#?secret=xD1dqIBezG" data-secret="xD1dqIBezG" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Owling Mine Returns With This Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon Deck

Archetune-Up - It Was a Graveyard Smash?

Diabolic Intent - Infinity Gauntlet

Archetune-Up - Oketra, Zombie Spawner

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cover of Winter" href="#" target="_blank">Cover of Winter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.waynereynolds.com/">Wayne Reynolds</a>)</h6>
<h1>Do You Want To Brew a Snowman?</h1>
<p>Happy holidays, everyone! Welcome to a very festive edition of <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>. Like all the previous articles, we'll be focusing on the Isle of Misfit <em>Magic</em> Cards (those in 300 decks or less on EDHREC) and the ways we can bring those cards together into an unconventional brew. In keeping with the season, we'll be looking at a snow-themed deck this time around.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/giphy.gif"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-42335 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/giphy.gif" alt="" width="480" height="270" /></a></p>
<p>My first step before slinging some snow is looking at the limited pool of cards that care about snow. Surveying the frosty landscape of cards, a few facts became apparent:</p>
<ol>
<li>There's a group of cards that care about having snow permanents on the battlefield.</li>
<li>There's a group of cards that trigger when snow permanents enter the battlefield.</li>
<li>There are snowy cards that bounce themselves or other creatures.</li>
<li>There isn't enough support for the theme unless we go at least 4-color.</li>
</ol>
<p>From this, I began work on a bounce-themed snow deck. For a commander, I was looking for one that could help me play my snow-covered lands. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golos, Tireless Pilgrim" href="#" target="_blank">Golos, Tireless Pilgrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> looked appealing, but aside from the one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dead of Winter" href="#" target="_blank">Dead of Winter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, black offers very little in the way of snow support, so instead, I settled on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis" href="#" target="_blank">Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Iceberg Cancrix"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Marit Lage&#039;s Slumber"></div></div>
<p>K&amp;T give us extra land drops, which is great for new snowy cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iceberg Cancrix" href="#" target="_blank">Iceberg Cancrix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marit Lage&#039;s Slumber" href="#" target="_blank">Marit Lage&#039;s Slumber</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both are underplayed cards from <em>Modern Horizons</em>, included in just 62 and 259 decks, respectively. These cards love all the extra snow-covered lands K&amp;T will give us, not to mention the plethora of other snow permanents and bounce effects in the deck. I don't necessarily see the mill from the Cancrix being a game-ender, but it's certainly a good resource-limiting card to make our opponents uncomfortable while we work on something more devastating, like a Marit Lage token.</p>
<hr />
<h2>A Flurry of Fury</h2>
<p>The extra snowy land drops from K&amp;T will also, over time, help bolster those creatures that like having a bunch of snow permanents in play. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rimefeather Owl" href="#" target="_blank">Rimefeather Owl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (96 decks) is the best of the bunch; this bird allows us to ice up the entire field with its activated ability, then grows larger as the inches of snow pile up. Plus, the ice counters it distributes have the added bonus of synergizing with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rimescale Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Rimescale Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (136 decks). Facing these two on the battlefield together can be brutal for opposing armies (so long as you avoid putting ice counters on your own creatures).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rimefeather Owl"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abominable Treefolk"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skred"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abominable Treefolk" href="#" target="_blank">Abominable Treefolk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, another creature that scales with the frosted board state, is a welcome addition from <em>Modern Horizons</em>. It's only in 55 decks right now, but in this deck, it can be a real all-star. Its triggered ability upon entering the battlefield will work with some of the bounce effects we'll talk about later. However, this ill-tempered Treefolk's trample is the real key here, allowing us to break through armies while our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rimefeather Owl" href="#" target="_blank">Rimefeather Owl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> soars over them. As a second option for plowing through drifts of blockers, I've also included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conifer Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Conifer Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (46 decks).</p>
<p>Lastly, I couldn't include red in this snow deck without playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skred" href="#" target="_blank">Skred</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's such an efficient damage-dealer in any deck running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snow-Covered Mountain" href="#" target="_blank">Snow-Covered Mountain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, but especially in this one. I'm kind of shocked that it's only run in 167 decks right now. If you're going with a snow-covered manabase, give this sorcery a look.</p>
<hr />
<h2>An Avalanche of Activated Abilities</h2>
<p>Whether requiring frosty mana or a number of snow permanents, there are some powerful activated abilities out there to be utilized by snow-themed decks. One of them happens to be my favorite snow-themed card. As I've said <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/forgotten-harvest-block-party-with-virtus-and-gorm/">previously</a>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rimehorn Aurochs" href="#" target="_blank">Rimehorn Aurochs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> needs to see so much more play than the 10 decks it's in right now. It's an absolute travesty! Anyway, it's in this deck, as is my second-favorite snowy card: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heidar, Rimewind Master" href="#" target="_blank">Heidar, Rimewind Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (115 decks). I don't understand why such a powerful bouncer sees so little play when all it takes is a small stack of snow-covered lands to make it great. If you like the idea of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boomerang" href="#" target="_blank">Boomerang</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <em>Imprinted</em> on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isochron Scepter" href="#" target="_blank">Isochron Scepter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, then please give Heidar some love!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heidar, Rimewind Master"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Diamond Faerie"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adarkar Windform"></div></div>
<p>Next up we have the sparkly team-buffer <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diamond Faerie" href="#" target="_blank">Diamond Faerie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (31 decks). If we're looking to win with combat damage from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conifer Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Conifer Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abominable Treefolk" href="#" target="_blank">Abominable Treefolk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this card will help us push even more damage through. Combine this crystalline sprite with snow cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squall Drifter" href="#" target="_blank">Squall Drifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (43 decks) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Rimerunner" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Rimerunner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (13 decks) to remove blockers, and that win from combat is even more assured.</p>
<p>Speaking of removing cards from combat, if you decide to attack by air, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adarkar Windform" href="#" target="_blank">Adarkar Windform</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can help keep any blockers earthbound. Similarly, on defense, it can keep the battle out of the skies and in a range where K&amp;T can do some blocking. It's only in 30 decks on EDHREC, which I can understand. Its use is a little niche, but that's the niche this deck lives in!</p>
<hr />
<h1>A Blizzard of Bounce</h1>
<p>Even moving to four colors, there still isn't enough snow to truly fill out the deck's 99. Based on the wintry selection, bounce becomes the clear choice to complement the excellent enters-the-battlefield abilities of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blizzard Strix" href="#" target="_blank">Blizzard Strix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (67 decks) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ice-Fang Coatl" href="#" target="_blank">Ice-Fang Coatl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It seems thematically appropriate to include the creature <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snow Hound" href="#" target="_blank">Snow Hound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, despite it not technically being related to the snow card type. Showing up in only 16 decks on the site, I very much like this card when <em>casting</em> a creature is important, and blink spells can't help. Please consider it the next time you brew with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karametra, God of Harvests" href="#" target="_blank">Karametra, God of Harvests</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the like.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snow Hound"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Barbarian Guides"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stalking Yeti"></div></div>
<p>Back on theme, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Barbarian Guides" href="#" target="_blank">Barbarian Guides</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us some repeatable bounce. With the help of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rimefeather Owl" href="#" target="_blank">Rimefeather Owl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it can also make an attacker unblockable for a turn before bouncing it. Imagine blasting through a maxed-out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abominable Treefolk" href="#" target="_blank">Abominable Treefolk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with snow-landwalk, only to get to use its ETB ability the next turn. I can understand the low deck count of 15, as snow-covered lands aren't all that prevalent, but if you have the means to icify the other side of the field, it's a gem!</p>
<p>In a deck without black, repeatable creature removal is a great thing. I've thus chosen to run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stalking Yeti" href="#" target="_blank">Stalking Yeti</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <em>Coldsnap</em>. I do wish its activated ability were faster, but it'll do for removing opposing utility creatures. It's only in 12 decks, which seems fair. What doesn't seem fair, though, is pairing it with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Purphoros, God of the Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Purphoros, God of the Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diamond Faerie" href="#" target="_blank">Diamond Faerie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Finally, and I know I'm <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/forgotten-harvest-dromars-bounce-house/">repeating myself</a>, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azorius Aethermage" href="#" target="_blank">Azorius Aethermage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could really use some attention. It's only seeing play in 54 decks on EDHREC, but it's the #1 card for any bounce strategy. And, the best part, it doesn't care about the type of permanent you're bouncing! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azorius Chancery" href="#" target="_blank">Azorius Chancery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud Cover" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud Cover</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudstone Curio" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudstone Curio</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overburden" href="#" target="_blank">Overburden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all love the Aethermage. I'm confident I could write 2,000 words on this card by itself, but for now I'll just say it's worth a second look.</p>
<p>How about a decklist, hmm?</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Wintering in Meletis" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div></p>
<p>[Commander]<br />
*1 Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis<br />
[/Commander]</p>
<p>[Creatures]<br />
*1 Boreal Druid<br />
*1 Iceberg Cancrix<br />
*1 Ice-Fang Coatl<br />
*1 Rime Tender<br />
*1 Rimewind Taskmage<br />
*1 Squall Drifter<br />
*1 Azorius Aethermage<br />
*1 Barbarian Guides<br />
*1 Eternal Witness<br />
*1 Goblin Rimerunner<br />
*1 Reclamation Sage<br />
*1 Snow Hound<br />
*1 Abominable Treefolk<br />
*1 Centaur Omenreader<br />
*1 Mystic Snake<br />
*1 Ohran Yeti<br />
*1 Purphoros, God of the Forge<br />
*1 Solemn Simulacrum<br />
*1 Stalking Yeti<br />
*1 Adarkar Windform<br />
*1 Blizzard Strix<br />
*1 Chulane, Teller of Tales<br />
*1 Conifer Wurm<br />
*1 Diamond Faerie<br />
*1 Heidar, Rimewind Master<br />
*1 Ohran Frostfang<br />
*1 Rimehorn Aurochs<br />
*1 Adarkar Valkyrie<br />
*1 Rimefeather Owl<br />
*1 Rimescale Dragon<br />
[/Creatures]</p>
<p>[Instants]<br />
*1 Path to Exile<br />
*1 Skred<br />
*1 Cyclonic Rift<br />
*1 Beast Within<br />
*1 Chaos Warp<br />
*1 Generous Gift<br />
*1 Fractured Identity<br />
[/Instants]</p>
<p>[Sorcries]<br />
*1 Into the North<br />
*1 Cultivate<br />
*1 Explosive Vegetation<br />
*1 Time Wipe<br />
[/Sorceries]</p>
<p>[Artifacts]<br />
*1 Arcum's Astrolabe<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Azorius Signet<br />
*1 Coldsteel Heart<br />
*1 Selesnya Signet<br />
*1 Simic Signet<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Crystal Shard<br />
*1 Sunstone<br />
*1 Thran Dynamo<br />
*1 Vedalken Orrery<br />
*1 Venser's Journal<br />
[/Artifacts]</p>
<p>[Enchantments]<br />
*1 Burgeoning<br />
*1 On Thin Ice<br />
*1 Marit Lage's Slumber<br />
*1 Winter's Rest<br />
*1 Cover of Winter<br />
*1 Imprisoned in the Moon<br />
[/Enchantments]</p>
<p>[Planeswalkers]<br />
*1 Tamiyo, Field Researcher<br />
*1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria<br />
[/Planeswalkers]</p>
<p>[Lands]<br />
*1 Arctic Flats<br />
*1 Arid Mesa<br />
*1 Boreal Shelf<br />
*1 Fabled Passage<br />
*1 Flooded Strand<br />
*1 Highland Weald<br />
*1 Misty Rainforest<br />
*1 Reliquary Tower<br />
*1 Rogue's Passage<br />
*1 Scalding Tarn<br />
*1 Scrying Sheets<br />
*8 Snow-Covered Forest<br />
*8 Snow-Covered Island<br />
*4 Snow-Covered Mountain<br />
*5 Snow-Covered Plains<br />
*1 Windswept Heath<br />
*1 Wooded Foothills<br />
[/Lands]</p>
<p>[/Deck]</p>

<hr />
<h2>It Doesn't Have To Be a Snowman</h2>
<p>That about wraps up this wintry mix of cards on <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>. I know there have got to be some questions, comments, and snide remarks after all that snowfall. Please leave them below in the comments! I'll be around down there talking about just how many other hyper-underplayed cards made the deck that I didn't have time to talk about above. I know I also included quite a few powerful cards in this build to help compensate for the weaker cards that were on theme. If there's something not in your collection and out of your price range, hit me up for an alternate suggestion.</p>
<p>As always, if you've got a card that sees play in 300 decks or less on the site that you'd like me to write about, let me know. I'm always up for reader suggestions! Until next time, stay frosty!</p>


Forgotten Harvest - Wintering in Meletis

The Knowledge Pool - Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer

Conditions Allow - Taniwha

The Knowledge Pool - Karametra, God of Harvests

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dromar, the Banisher" href="#" target="_blank">Dromar, the Banisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by Dave Dorman)</h6>
<h1>"Returne from Whence Ye Came..."</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>, home of cards used in 300 decks or less on EDHREC. Before getting into it, I want to say how grateful I am for the positive response to my last article. I had no idea there was such a hunger for something different in a Jund deck. If there are other color combinations where you're looking to spice things up, or a commander you think needs some attention, let me know in the comments. Generally, I plan to let the underplayed cards guide the type of deck I discuss, but if I can do that while scratching an itch felt by the community at large, then all the better!</p>
<div id="attachment_29170" style="width: 490px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29170" class="wp-image-29170 size-full" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/FloorSuperball.gif" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p id="caption-attachment-29170" class="wp-caption-text"><em>"...And the floor was donated by American Superball."</em></p></div>
<p>As hinted at the end of the <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/forgotten-harvest-hellbent-on-innovation/">last article</a>, this time I'll be exploring a bounce deck, helmed by the bounciest Dragon I know: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dromar, the Banisher" href="#" target="_blank">Dromar, the Banisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Before getting into all the beautiful bouncy gems that lie in <em>Magic's</em> past, we should talk about how self-bounce has lost the war for relevance to blink strategies.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dromar, the Banisher"></div></div>
<p>Going back to the success of cards like <em>Time Spiral's </em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Momentary Blink" href="#" target="_blank">Momentary Blink</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> has been emphasizing the role of blink in the game over self-bounce. Yes, we did just see <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradoxical Outcome" href="#" target="_blank">Paradoxical Outcome</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a reprint of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rescue" href="#" target="_blank">Rescue</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but these have been the exception more often than the rule over the last 10 years. I say this as someone who vividly remembers <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flicker" href="#" target="_blank">Flicker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liberate" href="#" target="_blank">Liberate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as the only blink options for a long time.</p>
<p>Since those simpler times, blink has effectively demolished the modern usability of self-bounce strategies. I get into this because I expect a number of readers to question the relevance of a deck that uses self-bounce rather than blink. Be aware the deck I'm proposing here isn't trying to be the best. It's taking a look at self-bounce and specifically focusing on the cards that don't translate into a blink strategy. You're not going to find all this stuff in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brago, King Eternal" href="#" target="_blank">Brago, King Eternal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If you like a competitive, edge, blue-white blink is probably more correct for you. However, if you want a deck that's fun, dynamic, unpredictable, and customizable, then keep reading.</p>
<hr />
<h2>After a Quick Search on Gatherer...</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azorius Aethermage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stormfront Riders"></div></div>
<p>There are only two cards I know in all of <em>Magic: the Gathering</em> that trigger when a creature is bounced: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azorius Aethermage" href="#" target="_blank">Azorius Aethermage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stormfront Riders" href="#" target="_blank">Stormfront Riders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These cards are appropriately underplayed given their niche usability, appearing in 49 and 242 decks on EDHREC, respectively. Even so, their abilities are fantastic! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stormfront Riders" href="#" target="_blank">Stormfront Riders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> replaces a bounced creature with a nice chump blocker, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azorius Aethermage" href="#" target="_blank">Azorius Aethermage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives you access to some very cheap draw upon bounce. The Aethermage triggers not just for creatures, but for all bounced permanents you control (Hint: this may become relevant in a future article).</p>
<p>With these two cards as the foundation, it should be clear why <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dromar, the Banisher" href="#" target="_blank">Dromar, the Banisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the preferred commander over, say, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merieke Ri Berit" href="#" target="_blank">Merieke Ri Berit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There's a 60% chance that, upon triggering his ability, Dromar will bounce himself back to hand. That's definitely not a great ability compared to those of the other Primeval Dragons. However, this deck tries to turn that to our advantage. Naming white, blue, or black after a Dromar connection could mean an army of Soldiers or a bunch of draw triggers. Plus, you get to recast all the creatures of that color with great "enter the battlefield" effects.</p>
<p>I tried to include some cards to help the Dragon connect with an opponent, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rogue&#039;s Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Rogue&#039;s Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Alas, as is the case in most decks, there's a balance in finding room for all the critical strategies of one's deck. I highly recommend that you customize the amount of evasion and removal in the deck below to suit your playgroup's meta. As someone creating a deck for public viewing, this becomes the hardest variable to consider while brewing. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of customization: don't just copy, but make it your own.</p>
<hr />
<h2>I Never Thought I'd Cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Escape Routes" href="#" target="_blank">Escape Routes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p>Since we're focusing on bouncing our own stuff, let's look at some more options for returning creatures to our hand. Played in a mere 31 decks, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Escape Routes" href="#" target="_blank">Escape Routes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card that I would normally walk right past. In this deck, though, it can be a real superstar, enabling shenanigans with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spell Queller" href="#" target="_blank">Spell Queller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faceless Butcher" href="#" target="_blank">Faceless Butcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With the "enters the battlefield" trigger on the stack, use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Escape Routes" href="#" target="_blank">Escape Routes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to bounce the creature. This will cause the "leaves the battlefield" ability to resolve first. Since no card has been exiled yet, that ability fizzles. This is followed by the original ETB trigger, which exiles the targeted card permanently. This will also work with self-bouncer <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolarian Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Tolarian Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (played in only 28 decks), and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wizard Mentor" href="#" target="_blank">Wizard Mentor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (played in 78).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Escape Routes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tolarian Sentinel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wizard Mentor"></div></div>
<p>Also included in the deck are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crystal Shard" href="#" target="_blank">Crystal Shard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erratic Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Erratic Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While both of these already see plenty of play, they also help turn your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spell Queller" href="#" target="_blank">Spell Queller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dissipate" href="#" target="_blank">Dissipate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While I'm on the subject of these conditional bouncers on sticks, I should also mention the inclusion of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cowardice" href="#" target="_blank">Cowardice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck. While it's only used in 255 decks on EDHREC, it turns <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crystal Shard" href="#" target="_blank">Crystal Shard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erratic Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Erratic Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into a surefire threat against opposing creatures. The icing on the cake is that it also complicates the plans of opponents playing Voltron, equipment, or token strategies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cowardice" href="#" target="_blank">Cowardice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't going to make you any friends at the table, but sometimes you need to make a little mischief. I mean, if we all played Group Hug, games would only end through <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Divine Intervention" href="#" target="_blank">Divine Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Back in <em>Planeshift</em>, we saw a series of 'gating' creatures. Many of you are familiar with a common from this series: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cavern Harpy" href="#" target="_blank">Cavern Harpy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card has some great repeatable self-bounce, and is an obvious choice for many decks. There are two other neglected cards in this series that find a home with Dromar. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sawtooth Loon" href="#" target="_blank">Sawtooth Loon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sees play in 260 decks, and offers some self-bounce along with some great hand filtering. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doomsday Specter" href="#" target="_blank">Doomsday Specter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, on the other hand, hurts your opponents' hands, bounces a blue or black creature, and is on only 189 decklists.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cowardice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sawtooth Loon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doomsday Specter"></div></div>
<p>I'm a big fan of these 'gating' creatures, if you can't tell. I think they're a frequently overlooked option for many decks, not just Esper bounce. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleetfoot Panther" href="#" target="_blank">Fleetfoot Panther</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a staple for me in any Cat tribal build, and I'm still dying for an opportunity to use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Natural Emergence" href="#" target="_blank">Natural Emergence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a deck. Don't be surprised if, like Spellshapers, these 'gating' cards become a frequent soapbox of mine in this article series.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Let's Give These Folks a Big Hand</h2>
<p>I've talked a lot about bouncing cards so far, but not so much what sets self-bounce apart from blink strategies, nor how this deck plans to win the game. In the end, it all boils down to three words: cards in hand. Without proper choices in deck construction, blink decks don't always keep a full hand. With bounce, you're sure to be rocking 6+ cards at any given time. In an effort to prepare, I added typical cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reliquary Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Reliquary Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thought Vessel" href="#" target="_blank">Thought Vessel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There's another great addition that's frequently passed over, and it recently gained some new relevance. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trusted Advisor" href="#" target="_blank">Trusted Advisor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <em>Saviors of Kamigawa</em> is a wonderful addition to a deck that expects to rock a big hand. Currently played in 70 decks, I expect this number to shoot up thanks to its creature type and a certain new common from <em>Ravnica Allegiance</em>. You know the one.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trusted Advisor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kiyomaro, First to Stand"></div></div>
<p>While we're talking about <em>Saviors of Kamigawa</em> cards, I also looked at the Esper cards in the cycle of "Maro" legends from that set. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kagemaro, First to Suffer" href="#" target="_blank">Kagemaro, First to Suffer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides some excellent removal on par with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutilate" href="#" target="_blank">Mutilate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a mono-black deck. It's an absolute all-star right after a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradoxical Outcome" href="#" target="_blank">Paradoxical Outcome</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a connection trigger from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dromar, the Banisher" href="#" target="_blank">Dromar, the Banisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I left <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soramaro, First to Dream" href="#" target="_blank">Soramaro, First to Dream</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> out of the deck, but it would fit in here as well. In its place, I dropped a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sturmgeist" href="#" target="_blank">Sturmgeist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> which I would argue is better given the curve and how little this deck cares about bounced lands.</p>
<p>The underplayed gem of this cycle comes in at 187 total decks, and goes by the name <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiyomaro, First to Stand" href="#" target="_blank">Kiyomaro, First to Stand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sure, it needs some evasion, but we're already running that to help Dromar. Plus, the lifegain triggers on any damage, not on combat damage to a player. So long as your hand stays heavy (and it definitely will), Kiyomaro will pose a great threat and keep us in the game. And don't stress about removal, given all the sweet, sweet bounce we're running.</p>
<p>Alright, enough talking about it. Here's the deck:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Esper Bounce House" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[commander]
*1 Dromar, the Banisher
[/commander]
[creatures]
*1 Fourth Bridge Prowler
*1 Soul Warden
*1 Soul&#039;s Attendant
*1 Trusted Advisor
*1 Zealous Guardian
*1 Burglar Rat
*1 Cavern Harpy
*1 Deputy of Acquittals
*1 Tidehollow Sculler
*1 Vedalken Mastermind
*1 Whitemane Lion
*1 Azorius Aethermage
*1 Kor Sanctifiers
*1 Mangara of Corondor
*1 Merieke Ri Berit
*1 Phyrexian Infiltrator
*1 Spell Queller
*1 Stonecloaker
*1 Wizard Mentor
*1 Doomsday Specter
*1 Dust Elemental
*1 Faceless Butcher
*1 Sawtooth Loon
*1 Soul Snuffers
*1 Tolarian Sentinel
*1 Tradewind Rider
*1 Cloudblazer
*1 Kagemaro, First to Suffer
*1 Kiyomaro, First to Stand
*1 Stormfront Riders
*1 Sturmgeist
*1 Vela the Night-Clad
*1 Tidespout Tyrant
[/creatures]
[instants]
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Familiar&#039;s Ruse
*1 Dromar&#039;s Charm
*1 Paradoxical Outcome
*1 Return to Dust
*1 Surprise Deployment
[/instants]
[sorceries]
*1 Supreme Verdict
*1 Wrath of God
*1 Merciless Eviction
[/sorceries]
[artifacts]
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Cloudstone Curio
*1 Crystal Shard
*1 Erratic Portal
[/artifacts]
[enchantments]
*1 Equilibrium
*1 Escape Routes
*1 Cloud Cover
*1 Leyline of Anticipation
*1 Cowardice
*1 Dire Undercurrents
[/enchantments]
[lands]
*1 Arcane Sanctum
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Dimir Aqueduct
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Fetid Heath
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*10 Island
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Mystic Gate
*1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
*1 Orzhov Basilica
*8 Plains
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Sunken Ruins
*7 Swamp
*1 Watery Grave
[/lands]"></span></div>
<hr />
<h2>Time to Bounce</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-29173 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/HugeAdorableChipmunk-size_restricted.gif" alt="" width="500" height="288" /></p>
<p>Thanks for walking down this bouncy road with me. Got a question, comment, or snide remark? Do you have a favorite card in under 300 decks on EDHREC? Or do you want to tell me bounce isn't worth my time, and I should have talked about something else instead? Let's talk about it in the comments. If these articles on my janky brews can, at their worst, inspire conversation, then that's super-duper! See you next time!</p>
