<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonveil Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Moonveil Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.toddlockwood.com/">Todd Lockwood</a>)</h6>
<h1>Aggressive Expansion</h1>
<p>Greetings, everyone, and welcome back to <em>Monomania</em>. In this article series we build mono-colored decks as a way to explore ramp and draw packages that are synergistic with our particular deck’s strategy, challenging staples and misconceptions about the color pie.</p>
<p>Now that we have Eldraine out of our system, let’s revisit an underloved mono-red general from earlier this year. When revealed, he was quickly dismissed as a worse version of the previous iteration of the character. I’m not so convinced of this description, however, so let’s take a look.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin"></div></div>
<p>At the time of writing this article, this guy is only listed as the general of 149 decks on EDHREC. While this isn’t pitiful within the field of mono-red generals, it isn’t stellar either. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the original version of this card, helms 1,510 decks, and is by far the most popular mono-red commander of the past two years, eclipsing the second-place <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who leads 649 decks. Because of the color’s reputation and restrictions, I don’t believe that any mono-red commander will rise to challenge Krenko for quite some time.</p>
<p>That being said, does the Tin Street Kingpin deserve to be regarded more highly? I believe so. Last May, <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/author/mason-brantley/">Mason Brantley</a> wrote a fantastic article on the new Krenko for his series, <em>Underdog's Corner</em>. He and I came up with fairly similar lists, and if you want to read both of our takes on this commander, you can read his article <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/underdogs-corner-krenko-tin-street-kingpin/">here</a>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bravado"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Throne of the God-Pharaoh"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Betrothed of Fire"></div></div>
<p>The idea here isn’t necessarily a novel one—this style of deck can win out of nowhere with some favorable combination of <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>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Bombardment" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Bombardment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aggravated Assault" href="#" target="_blank">Aggravated Assault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and our general on the battlefield. Mob Boss decks will almost always include a similar win condition.</p>
<p>However, the style of the Kingpin in particular is what I find rather compelling. At his core, Kingpin wants to incorporate elements of Voltron strategies. Instead of jamming creatures to snowball our board, the Kingpin wants to buff his attack through other card types. This general is more interested in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Claws of Valakut" href="#" target="_blank">Claws of Valakut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Siege Gang Commander" href="#" target="_blank">Siege Gang Commander</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It seems nearly as explosive as Mob Boss, but also folds in another element—this bad boy can go tall, wide, or threaten to do both. While many may think that you have to choose one of these, in some cases there's no need to pick favorites. I’ve had some success with my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Faren, the Hengehammer" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Faren, the Hengehammer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/monomania-takes-on-eldraine-best-friend-auditions/">recently featured on <em>Monomania</em> </a>that also goes both tall and wide. Let’s see what we can come up with and whether this commander lives up to the prestigious Krenko name.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Fuel for the Cause</h2>
<p>Because of the unique characteristics of the Kingpin, there are a few special considerations for how we want to ramp in order to support his strategy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braid of Fire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Battle Hymn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brightstone Ritual"></div></div>
<p>With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonveil Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Moonveil Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cavalier of Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Cavalier of Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and our collection of firebreathing effects such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shiv’s Embrace" href="#" target="_blank">Shiv’s Embrace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, big mana becomes exceedingly effective for us. These three ramp effects will all hopefully produce ridiculous amounts of mana and allow us to funnel it into pumping our general or our team. This can help us swing for lethal or simply produce even more tokens.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Braid of Fire" href="#" target="_blank">Braid of Fire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, specifically, is a mono-red all-star. If budget is not an issue, this card can and should be included in almost every mono-red deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle Hymn" href="#" target="_blank">Battle Hymn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brightstone Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Brightstone Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a little more restrictive but still fit right at home in any Krenko deck, old or new.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skirk Prospector"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dockside Extortionist"></div></div>
<p>Then we have a few mana-production effects stapled onto creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skirk Prospector" href="#" target="_blank">Skirk Prospector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can both fuel big plays as well as find the extra mana needed to power out an important piece to our strategy. Often, this Prospector will facilitate the game-ending plays that involve <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> and/or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impact Tremors" href="#" target="_blank">Impact Tremors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> when attacking isn’t an option. Any Goblin lying around can help play several cards in a turn. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dockside Extortionist" href="#" target="_blank">Dockside Extortionist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn’t fulfill precisely the same function, but works better on its own to provide flexible Treasure for later use.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sword of the Animist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dowsing Dagger"></div></div>
<p>Finally, we have a few Equipment that can both ignite our strategy and our ramp at the same time. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of the Animist" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of the Animist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an automatic inclusion in any deck with a shade of Voltron, and I argue <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dowsing Dagger" href="#" target="_blank">Dowsing Dagger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> should be considered for a similar reason: it pumps the Kingpin’s attack, then flips into an extremely powerful land. If we can connect with our commander on turn four or five with the Dagger equipped, we will vault ourselves several turns ahead of our opponents in the mid-game.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Off the Rails</h2>
<p>This deck will live and die by its card advantage package: if we can’t cycle through cards effectively, we may not find the necessary pieces to truly spike the power of our board state and win the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dire Fleet Daredevil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abbot of Keral Keep"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark-Dweller Oracle"></div></div>
<p>As always, rent-before-you-buy-it card advantage in red is actually very good. Even these examples that dig through relatively little of our deck will help us find what we need when we need it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark-Dweller Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Dark-Dweller Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the creature most geared toward our strategy; on a post-Krenko board, we should have a few useless Goblins to play around with.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Outpost Siege"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vance’s Blasting Cannons"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ignite the Future"></div></div>
<p>Expanding on impulsive draw, we have a few other ways to exile the top cards of our library. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Outpost Siege" href="#" target="_blank">Outpost Siege</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vance’s Blasting Cannons" href="#" target="_blank">Vance’s Blasting Cannons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are staples within our color and earn their spot here.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ignite the Future" href="#" target="_blank">Ignite the Future</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a newcomer, but has proven to be powerful. The key text here is 'until the end of your <em>next</em> turn.' I really like this card not only because it gives us a little more flexibility in playing the exiled cards than we normally see, but also because the <em>Flashback</em> ability here is deceptively powerful. With even a couple good flips, it's worth the eight mana.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Infiltration Lens"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mask of Memory"></div></div>
<p>Finally, we have two Equipment that can help us dig through our cards—one that triggers when a creature blocks Krenko, and another that triggers when Krenko deals damage to a player. Both synergize with our strategy and earn a slot in the deck.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Deck</h2>
<p>Now that we have the skeleton for a fun and powerful Krenko deck, let’s put it all together with a decklist. You’ll notice that this deck is distinctively <em>not</em> Goblin tribal. Many of his decks listed on EDHREC are Goblin tribal, but I think this is a trap: outside of a few Goblins that really grease our engine, Krenko brings his own army in a can and doesn’t need much support in that regard.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragon Mantle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stoneforge Masterwork"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Haze of Rage"></div></div>
<p>Among other notable inclusions here we have a few effects that should supercharge our commander’s ability. Firebreathing is a deceptively powerful effect with our commander, and any card that grants this ability is immediately worth consideration. As such, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Mantle" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Mantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fiery Mantle" href="#" target="_blank">Fiery Mantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> make the cut. Although we have to dump mana into this ability, firebreathing allows us to essentially spend one red mana for one Goblin token and to make our commander more threatening.</p>
<p>We can also run a couple of Equipment that will pump the Kingpin’s attack by significant amounts. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stoneforge Masterwork" href="#" target="_blank">Stoneforge Masterwork</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes our general do his best impression of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, doubling our tokens every time we attack. Not only that, but this card can easily pump Krenko to 21 attack in just a turn or two. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blackblade Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Blackblade Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a higher floor but a lower ceiling. Because it buffs our commander based on the number of lands we control, he will almost always net a baseline +3/+3, and later in the game, the Blackblade could grant +10/+10.</p>
<p>Finally, I’ve included a suite of ways to pump our team enough to knock players out of the game through combat damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haze of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Haze of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an egregiously underrated Commander card, seeing play in only 364 decks on EDHREC. We have a low curve, and following up playing multiple spells in a single turn with playing this card can quickly end games, and even if it doesn't, we can always just buy it back. In addition, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marton Stromgald" href="#" target="_blank">Marton Stromgald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonveil Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Moonveil Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coat of Arms" href="#" target="_blank">Coat of Arms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Running Down the Stairs" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Skirk Prospector
*1 Abbot of Keral Keep
*1 Dark-Dweller Oracle
*1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Goblin Chieftain
*1 Goblin Trashmaster
*1 Marton Stromgald
*1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Cavalier of Flame
*1 Moonveil Dragon
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Brightstone Ritual
*1 Battle Hymn
*1 Arcbond
*1 Chaos Warp
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Gamble
*1 Vandalblast
*1 Haze of Rage
*1 Light Up the Stage
*1 Chain Reaction
*1 Ignite the Future
*1 Seize the Day
*1 Mana Geyser
*1 Blasphemous Act
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Infiltration Lens
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Stoneforge Masterwork
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Dowsing Dagger
*1 Endless Atlas
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mask of Memory
*1 Prowler&#039;s Helm
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 Throne of the God-Pharaoh
*1 Trailblazer&#039;s Boots
*1 Hammer of Nazahn
*1 Coat of Arms
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crown of Flames
*1 Dragon Mantle
*1 Quest for the Goblin Lord
*1 Betrothed of Fire
*1 Braid of Fire
*1 Bravado
*1 Emblem of the Warmind
*1 Fiery Mantle
*1 Ghitu Firebreathing
*1 Goblin Bombardment
*1 Impact Tremors
*1 Thunderous Might
*1 Aggravated Assault
*1 Boggart Shenanigans
*1 Claws of Valakut
*1 Shared Animosity
*1 Bedlam
*1 Outpost Siege
*1 Shiv&#039;s Embrace
*1 Vance&#039;s Blasting Cannons
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arch of Orazca
*1 Castle Embereth
*1 Desert of the Fervent
*1 Flamekin Village
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Goblin Burrows
*1 Looming Spires
*23 Mountain
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
*1 Smoldering Crater
*1 Spinerock Knoll
*1 Zoetic Cavern
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>How do you all feel about this Kingpin? Is he interesting enough to warrant a few more decks on EDHREC, or should we all give up and worship at the altar of the Mob Boss? Let me know in the comments below! Remember to EDHREC responsibly: always dig a little beyond the statistics. I’ll see you all on down the road.</p>


Monomania – Running Down the Stairs

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tin Street Market" href="#" target="_blank">Tin Street Market</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://noahbradley.com/">Noah Bradley</a>)</h6>
<h1>War of the Legendary Creatures</h1>
<p>Hello, everyone! Welcome to another edition of the <em>Underdog's Corner</em>! If this is your first time reading, I'm going to spend the next thousand or more words telling you about a legendary creature that's getting less attention than he should. With <em>War of the Spark</em>, we saw a staggering 16 legendary creatures enter into the fold for EDH. A few have immediately risen above the rest, as we're seeing with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feather, the Redeemed" href="#" target="_blank">Feather, the Redeemed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even some like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves" href="#" target="_blank">Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have jumped into the upper echelon unexpectedly. Then there are the legends that lag behind - the ones I love to talk about! Today we'll cover a legend that I'm surprised is in the bottom 25%. Let's meet our newest Underdog!</p>
<h2>Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin"></div></div>
<p>Hmm... That name looks familiar.</p>
<p>Krenko looks pretty different since we last saw him. His last iteration, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, is a personal boogeyman of mine and a combo machine. Honestly, the main thing they have in common is being able to create ludicrous amount of Goblin tokens while also being Goblins themselves.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Mob Boss"></div></div>
<p>Let's look at what the <em>new</em> Krenko brings to the table.</p>
<h4>"Whenever Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it..."</h4>
<p>A three mana 1/2 isn't all that impressive, but once we enter combat the first time, Krenko bumps up to a 2/3. Three toughness tends to turn the corner in terms of survivability in the early game; using <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=cmc%3C%3D3+t%3Acreature&amp;order=edhrec&amp;as=grid&amp;unique=cards">Scryfall's EDHREC filter</a> we can see the most popular creatures with CMC three or less that would be able to block Krenko in the early game, and of the top 60, only 9 would be able to block and kill him, which means he's got great odds for attacking and surviving in the beginning of the game. That's just the first time he attacks, too; once he attacks again, he becomes increasingly more resilient in combat.</p>
<h4>"...then create a number of 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens equal to Krenko’s power."</h4>
<p>This is where Krenko's power comes from, and in turn, the Goblins come from his power. We've seen a few legends in the past create tokens based on power, but Krenko is the first red commander with this ability. Arguably, Krenko has the most potential to take advantage of this ability thanks to red's ability to quickly and easily boost power. Finally, while Goblin tribal is a valid and powerful strategy, I want to look beyond tribal. We won't ignore it completely, but we're not going to be tethered to it either.</p>
<p>This new Krenko is still powerful, but I think if we try to compare to the two side by side, we will end up disappointed. Rather than being an alternative for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I want <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to stand on his own. Rather than continue this comparison, let's look at another red legend that has more in common with new Krenko: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valduk, Keeper of the Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Valduk, Keeper of the Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valduk, Keeper of the Flame"></div></div>
<p>Released in <em>Dominaria</em>, Valduk has gained a nice cult following over the year since his release. Both he and Krenko create tokens, with different conditions. Valduk creates a number of temporary 3/1 Elementals based on the number of Auras and Equipment attached to him. Krenko creates a number of 1/1 Goblins equal to his power. While at first glance these abilities aren't terribly similar, I think their deckbuilding choices will greatly mirror each other. With over 200 decks, Valduk offers a lot of data, so let's lean into Valduk's EDHREC's page to find suggestions.</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Keeper of Tin Street</h2>
<p>The top end of Valduk's page unsurprisingly contains a lot of Equipment. Most of them are cost-efficient, intended to get the most of his ability quickly. While we won't want all of them, let's check out the major players.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tenza, Godo&#039;s Maul"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bravado"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stoneforge Masterwork"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tenza, Godo&#039;s Maul" href="#" target="_blank">Tenza, Godo&#039;s Maul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has one of the highest stats-to-cost ratios of Equipment available to us. Creating an additional three tokens per combat is massive, and let's not forget that it also will give Krenko trample. Even on his first swing, Krenko will be a 5/6. While that can be chump blocked, we still make a ton of tokens. Besides, once we add trample to the mix, things become more complicated.</p>
<p>Found in 50% of Valduk decks, we have the Aura <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bravado" href="#" target="_blank">Bravado</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from the venerated <em>Urza's Saga</em>. While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bravado" href="#" target="_blank">Bravado</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> won't immediately buff Krenko in combat like our Equipment will, it does offer a higher ceiling. Let's assume that we enchant Krenko with Bravado, and then attack. We'll only make two tokens, but Krenko will then become a 4/5. When Krenko attacks the next turn, he'll create five tokens, and then become a 10/11. That's a massive amount of stats over only two turns. If left unchecked, that could easily spell doom for our opponent as we overwhelm them with Goblins. While it doesn't have quite the same ceiling, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stoneforge Masterwork" href="#" target="_blank">Stoneforge Masterwork</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pennon Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Pennon Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great second and third copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bravado" href="#" target="_blank">Bravado</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and will produce very similar results.</p>
<hr />
<h2>All-Out Assault</h2>
<p>Once we've made all of these tokens, what do we do with them? For a mono-red deck, the answer is easy and somewhat formulaic. Without a diversity of options, we're going to lean on some tried and true staples.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Bombardment"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Outpost Siege"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Bombardment" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Bombardment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the best sacrifice outlets in the game. It's cheap, it's free to use, and it's a more resilient permanent type than a lot of its brethren. Even without any buffs to our army, we can use this enchantment to double our damage output whenever we swing all-out against an enemy, just in case we need the extra few points to get there. What's more thematic than throwing these fiends to their gleeful deaths?</p>
<p>If we want a redundant effect for that functionality, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cavalcade of Calamity" href="#" target="_blank">Cavalcade of Calamity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> really pumps out the damage with small tokens. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Outpost Siege" href="#" target="_blank">Outpost Siege</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is often played for its impulse-draw mode, but don't forget that it can also ping opponents whenever a creature we control leaves the battlefield. Not just when they die, but when they leave the battlefield. This can be a massive deterrent for a board wipe in the right situation, especially if we can play it into a developed board.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Purphoros, God of the Forge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Impact Tremors"></div></div>
<p>I won't say much about these two, since you've likely faced down these terrors yourself if you've played with or against any token decks that include red. Appearing in 17,500 and 10,500 decks respectively, both <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> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impact Tremors" href="#" target="_blank">Impact Tremors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will end the game in short order if left untouched. If you're playing these, be prepared to protect them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Marton Stromgald"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mercadia&#039;s Downfall"></div></div>
<p>Let's discuss a few lesser-played gems though. This is a series about lesser-played commanders, so what better way to show them off? First up is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marton Stromgald" href="#" target="_blank">Marton Stromgald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who appears in a measly 700 decks. As someone who has been on the receiving end of this card before, I will assert this number is too low. While Marton is a very fragile card, attacking once with him will often spell doom for our opponents' life totals. Even attacking with three creatures will grant a hardy +3/+3 bonus to those creatures. Note that Marton does not count himself nor buff himself with his ability, so he will always be a 1/1. However, note also that we can stack this trigger to resolve before Krenko's triggered ability to supercharge our Goblin output. If you want a similar effect, check out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Veteran&#039;s Armaments" href="#" target="_blank">Veteran&#039;s Armaments</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It puts your board at risk, but it will pay back the investment at minimum.</p>
<p>For another team buff we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mercadia&#039;s Downfall" href="#" target="_blank">Mercadia&#039;s Downfall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card is only currently played in 86 decks, but I think it's potential impact is worth more than that. For three mana, we can pump the power of attacking creatures by the number of nonbasic lands the defending player controls. Note that this affects any attacking creatures, not just our own, so there's a potential to use this card politically. This card can fill a similar role to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Berserk" href="#" target="_blank">Berserk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which we discussed in my <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/underdogs-corner-arixmethes-slumbering-isle/">last article</a>. For special notes on this card, it will only count nonbasic lands for the player each creature is attacking. A creature attacking Player A, who has five nonbasic lands, will get +5/+0, while a creature attacking Player B, who has two nonbasic lands, will get +2/+0. Let's be clear, though - nonbasic lands run rampant in EDH, so you'll never attack someone who only has 2. You're more likely to attack someone who has nothing <em>but </em>nonbasic lands!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Coat of Arms"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shared Animosity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obelisk of Urd"></div></div>
<p>Lastly, we have the big guns. Tribal has been a fairly supported archetype over the years, and we have several cards to push us over the edge. We're not wholly going to dive into Goblin tribal, but it would be remiss to ignore these powerful pieces. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Animosity" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Animosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stacks well with Krenko's triggered ability, and it will let us turn many of our tokens into killing machines. If we attack with five Goblins, they each get +4/+0. Attacking with a 1/1 is a nuisance, but attacking with multiple 5/1s makes blocks difficult. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coat of Arms" href="#" target="_blank">Coat of Arms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another great tool in our arsenal as well, and it can even help our survivability. (Watch out for other tribal decks, though, as it is a purely symmetrical effect.) Finally, while I typically don't like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obelisk of Urd" href="#" target="_blank">Obelisk of Urd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I can actually see it pulling weight in this deck. I love that Krenko plays well with anthem effects. If we are able to attack twice with Krenko, we'll almost be able to play it for free just off of Krenko's Goblins!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Brothers and Sisters in Arms</h2>
<p>Before we move onto the decklist, I'd like to say that this commander finally gave a me a way to build in a direction that I've been struggling with. I've always wanted to build decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor" href="#" target="_blank">Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valduk, Keeper of the Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Valduk, Keeper of the Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but I've always been turned off by their relative lack of similar effects. Writing about Krenko, I realized all three of them can be included in the same deck and function as alternate commanders for one another. Many of the tricks that work with Krenko, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coat of Arms" href="#" target="_blank">Coat of Arms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Animosity" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Animosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, also work incredibly well with Varchild's Survivors and Valduk's Elementals. It's a direction that I'm happy to have discovered, and I think gives this deck more legs rather than relying on primarily on its commander.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Goblins New Groove" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Captain Lannery Storm
*1 Dark-Dweller Oracle
*1 Etali, Primal Storm
*1 Goblin Banneret
*1 Goblin Trashmaster
*1 Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
*1 Hanweir Garrison
*1 Hellrider
*1 Krenko, Mob Boss
*1 Legion Loyalist
*1 Marton Stromgald
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Moonveil Dragon
*1 Neheb, the Eternal
*1 Ogre Battledriver
*1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
*1 Siege-Gang Commander
*1 Treasure Nabber
*1 Valduk, Keeper of the Flame
*1 Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Bloodforged Battle-Axe
*1 Coat of Arms
*1 Dragon Throne of Tarkir
*1 Eldrazi Monument
*1 Fire Diamond
*1 Hammer of Purphoros
*1 Heirloom Blade
*1 Konda&#039;s Banner
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Obelisk of Urd
*1 Ruby Medallion
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Stoneforge Masterwork
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 Tenza, Godo&#039;s Maul
*1 Veteran&#039;s Armaments
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Electrodominance
*1 Mercadia&#039;s Downfall
*1 Tears of Rage
[/Instant]
[Enchantment]
*1 Bravado
*1 Break Through the Line
*1 Breath of Fury
*1 Experimental Frenzy
*1 Goblin Bombardment
*1 Impact Tremors
*1 Outpost Siege
*1 Quest for the Goblin Lord
*1 Shared Animosity
[/Enchantment]
[Sorcery]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Burn at the Stake
*1 Chain Reaction
*1 Descent of the Dragons
*1 Gamble
*1 Kindred Charge
*1 Vandalblast
[/Sorcery]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Ugin, the Ineffable
[/Planeswalker]
[Land]
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Goblin Burrows
*1 Hanweir Battlements
*1 Looming Spires
*30 Mountain
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Spinerock Knoll
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>Thanks for reading, and thank you for joining me in the <em>Underdog's Corner</em>!</p>


bravado

Monomania – Running Down the Stairs

Underdog's Corner - Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin