The Top 10 Most Played Commander Cards from KTK

Mirror Mastery - Riku Precon Upgrade

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra, Eminent One" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra, Eminent One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/vargasni">Randy Vargas</a>)</h6>
<h1 style="text-align: left;">Epic Preparations</h1>
<p style="text-align: left;">Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo, and this is <em>Epic Experiment</em>, a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mishra, Eminent One"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">It's easy to see how powerful Mishra is. He combines a crazy amount of value with a decent clock, and he's also in the right color combination to instigate some real shenanigans. There are a few layers to Mishra's power, so let's dive a bit deeper.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">On the first layer, we have an artifact creature token entering the battlefield. This opens a lot of powerful 'creatures and artifacts entering the battlefield' support, such as <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="Disciple of the Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Disciple of the Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the extra body can be used to fuel sacrifice effects, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Welder" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Welder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The second layer is about the type of targets that we use this ability on. I'll list just a few types that came to my mind when writing this article:</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Artifacts with ETBs and/ or LTBs</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">These artifacts are easy inclusions for most Mishra lists because they work great on their own and Mishra allows us to play our game like a blink deck. There are a few of those that act both when entering and when leaving, which gives us an impressive amount of value for such low-cost investments.</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ichor Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Ichor Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prized Statue" href="#" target="_blank">Prized Statue</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Artifacts with Self-Tap Abilities</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">Artifacts with tapping abilities tend to be more powerful, given their limited use. Mishra's ability allows us to get another copy of those on the field which very can effectively turn into "double activations".</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smelting Vat" href="#" target="_blank">Smelting Vat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wishclaw Talisman" href="#" target="_blank">Wishclaw Talisman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Artifacts with Self-Sacrificing Abilities</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">Like the previous category, these artifacts were balanced around being single-use. Having our commander clone them allows us to have access to that effect without having to spend the actual card.</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindslaver" href="#" target="_blank">Mindslaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Stasis Coffin" href="#" target="_blank">The Stasis Coffin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Mana Rocks</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">Mana rocks that add more than one mana are surprisingly effective targets for cloning, as they give us a huge bump in mana that can be used to strengthen our board position.</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gilded Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Gilded Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hedron Archive" href="#" target="_blank">Hedron Archive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Epic Ingredients</h2>
<p style="text-align: left;">Mishra's ability to produce value is so good that I feel we must trigger it more times. The Sakashima duo (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakashima of a Thousand Faces" href="#" target="_blank">Sakashima of a Thousand Faces</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakashima the Impostor" href="#" target="_blank">Sakashima the Impostor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spark Double" href="#" target="_blank">Spark Double</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great ways to clone without worrying about the silly legend rule.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Polymorph"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spark Double"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sakashima of a Thousand Faces"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">However, that's a very small set of creatures, so we need more consistency to make sure we get them into play. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polymorph" href="#" target="_blank">Polymorph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects are the key to getting our clones. With them, we get access to five extra cards' worth of redundancy. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Proteus Staff" href="#" target="_blank">Proteus Staff</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a reusable polymorph effect that's also an artifact, so we could theoretically use it multiple times a turn if we animate it with our commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Divergent Transformations" href="#" target="_blank">Divergent Transformations</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very mana-efficient, being an instant, and gives us two extra creatures out of nowhere. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Transmogrify" href="#" target="_blank">Transmogrify</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chaos Mutation" href="#" target="_blank">Chaos Mutation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are fairly straightforward. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast" href="#" target="_blank">Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a bit delicate. On the one hand, it's another reusable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polymorph" href="#" target="_blank">Polymorph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but on the other, he's a bit limited, and the targeted creature needs to have a mana value lower than four, otherwise he won't get anything in our deck.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">To get our special clones into play, we have two main types of targets to morph with all these effects: the incidental tokens created by our cards, and the Mishra's Warform token from our commander. The first type is usually better to target because they allow us to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polymorph" href="#" target="_blank">Polymorph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> before the combat step, which gives us another trigger and even more immediate value. The second, while not as explosive as the first, is considerably more reliable and can be counted on 100% of the games, since the Warforms come with our commander.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ichor Wellspring"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oni-Cult Anvil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wishclaw Talisman"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Getting multiple Mishras is just one piece of the puzzle, and the others are our value artifacts. Even if our gameplan is stopped, we still have strong effects at our disposal. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ichor Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Ichor Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mycosynth Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Mycosynth Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provide some amazing value when targeted by our commander, providing two triggers per clone. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wishclaw Talisman" href="#" target="_blank">Wishclaw Talisman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fun target to clone because we can tutor for whatever card we want without giving an opponent a chance to do the same. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderhawk Gunship" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderhawk Gunship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Night Scythe" href="#" target="_blank">Night Scythe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are efficient ways to get extra bodies that can either be used to fuel future <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polymorph" href="#" target="_blank">Polymorph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s or just plain old combat.</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">The Mixture</h2>
<p style="text-align: left;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Many-Mishras Workshop" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Mishra, Eminent One
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*Sakashima of a Thousand Faces
*Sakashima the Impostor
*Spark Double
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*Sol Ring
*Soul-Guide Lantern
*Arcane Signet
*Elsewhere Flask
*Fellwar Stone
*Ichor Wellspring
*Metalspinner&#039;s Puzzleknot
*Mirror of the Forebears
*Mycosynth Lattice
*Nimblewright Schematic
*Oni-Cult Anvil
*Prized Statue
*Prophetic Prism
*Servo Schematic
*Talisman of Creativity
*Talisman of Dominance
*Talisman of Indulgence
*Wishclaw Talisman
*Mirage Mirror
*Night Scythe
*Proteus Staff
*Sculpting Steel
*Skyclave Relic
*Machine God&#039;s Effigy
*Panharmonicon
*Smelting Vat
*Forsaken Monument
*Gilded Lotus
*Knight Paladin
*Mindslaver
*Thunderhawk Gunship
*Spine of Ish Sah
*Portal to Phyrexia
[/Artifact]
[Enchantment]
*Phyrexian Reclamation
*Determined Iteration
*Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
*Mirrormade
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Arcane Denial
*Cyclonic Rift
*Terminate
*Cackling Counterpart
*Chaos Warp
*Thirst For Knowledge
*Big Score
*Chaos Mutation
*Divergent Transformation
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*Daretti, Scrap Savant
*Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast
*Ugin, the Ineffable
[/Planeswalker]
[Sorcery]
*Vandalblast
*Dreadbore
*Feed the Swarm
*Fortuitous Find
*Seize the Spoils
*Toxic Deluge
*Damnation
*Polymorph
*Terisiare&#039;s Devastation
*Transmogrify
*Thoughtcast
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Blood Crypt
*Bloodstained Mire
*Bojuka Bog
*City of Brass
*Command Tower
*Crumbling Necropolis
*Exotic Orchard
*Ghost Quarter
*Haunted Ridge
*Inventors&#039; Fair
*Luxury Suite
*Mana Confluence
*Morphic Pool
*Phyrexian Tower
*Polluted Delta
*Scalding Tarn
*Shipwreck Marsh
*Shivan Reef
*Steam Vents
*Stormcarved Coast
*Sulfurous Springs
*Tectonic Edge
*Training Center
*Underground River
*Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*Watery Grave
*Xander&#039;s Lounge
*3 Island
*4 Mountain
*2 Swamp
[/Land]"></span></div></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: left;">Clones tend to be a bit on the win-more side if we're not careful, but if we play our cards right, we won't just have <em>one </em>extra copy of Mishra. We need to clone our commander with either <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakashima of a Thousand Faces" href="#" target="_blank">Sakashima of a Thousand Faces</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spark Double" href="#" target="_blank">Spark Double</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and then we can make even <em>more </em>copies with things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Machine God&#039;s Effigy" href="#" target="_blank">Machine God&#039;s Effigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cackling Counterpart" href="#" target="_blank">Cackling Counterpart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirrormade" href="#" target="_blank">Mirrormade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirage Mirror" href="#" target="_blank">Mirage Mirror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> we can copy other important artifacts we have in play already, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Panharmonicon" href="#" target="_blank">Panharmonicon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Over time, an army of copies will bury our opposition.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forsaken Monument"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderhawk Gunship"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Portal to Phyrexia"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">We're pretty varied as far as win conditions go. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindslaver" href="#" target="_blank">Mindslaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might get a few ugly looks on some tables, but it's not hard to keep controlling more than one opponent's turn per cycle. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight Paladin" href="#" target="_blank">Knight Paladin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s ETB can very easily put us over the edge when we're constantly making a bunch of copies of it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forsaken Monument" href="#" target="_blank">Forsaken Monument</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fun target, given that Mishra's cloning ability gives it a new name, so that gives our team +4/+4 for the turn. Oh, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Portal to Phyrexia" href="#" target="_blank">Portal to Phyrexia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a nasty control tool that can maintain an empty board while also providing us threats and resurrecting any of our Clones that happened to fall in battle!</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Methodology</h2>
<p style="text-align: left;">For our opening hand, we're looking for one or two mana rocks to help us accelerate to our commander and, if possible, any value artifact so that we start getting value once Mishra enters the battlefield. Note that mana rocks can be effective Mishra targets if we want to accelerate.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The mid-game starts right about the time when we manage to land Mishra. This is where we get to shine because we can get immediate value out of all the cheap artifacts in our deck that will already be in play before Mishra arrives. It helps a lot to have a random creature token to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polymorph" href="#" target="_blank">Polymorph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> before the combat step. Otherwise, we have to wait for our commander's ability to copy an artifact to give us a token to target, but regardless, once we start chaining powerful ETB abilities, it's hard to beat it.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Our late game is pretty good. Really, it's a snowball. Even if we don't get to stick our main synergy and make copies upon copies, our artifacts provide a lot of inherent value all on their own! If our Clone strategy doesn't work, we just get to do regular awesome Mishra things! This gives us inevitability in addition to the potential to kick things into overdrive.</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Santa's Workshop is Open</h2>
<p style="text-align: left;">That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment</em>! What do you think of this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which did you not? Was this experiment a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


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