<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.matthew-stewart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Stewart</a></em></p>
<p>Lands is one of my favorite strategies in Commander. Something about the idea about taking a pile of the most commonly disregarded card type and weaponizing it against unsuspecting opponents just tickles my fancy. When <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was revealed, from <em>Edge of Eternities</em>, I knew I had to cover it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd"></div></div>
<p>A <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crucible of Worlds" href="#" target="_blank">Crucible of Worlds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that sits in the command zone and gives you access to Jund (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) cards is simply too sweet for this lands player to resist. In this deck tech, I'll tackle <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and find out if this commander can meet my sky-high expectations.</p>
<h2>What Does Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a 2/5 Insect Druid for five mana that grants the ability to play lands from the graveyard. That's not all, though! Whenever you sacrifice a nontoken permanent, Szarel puts a number of +1/+1 counters equal to its power onto a creature.</p>
<p>The standout interaction with this card is fetchlands, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wooded Foothills" href="#" target="_blank">Wooded Foothills</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodstained Mire" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodstained Mire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can be sacrificed to trigger Szarel and then played from the graveyard to repeat the process.</p>
<p>Szarel is going to play very similarly to other lands commanders, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Necrobloom" href="#" target="_blank">The Necrobloom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azusa, Lost but Seeking" href="#" target="_blank">Azusa, Lost but Seeking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Radha, Heart of Keld" href="#" target="_blank">Radha, Heart of Keld</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (which <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/60-to-100-turning-legacy-lands-into-a-commander-deck" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I wrote about</a> a while ago!). The combos that these decks look to assemble, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thespian&#039;s Stage" href="#" target="_blank">Thespian&#039;s Stage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the play patterns of using effects that recur lands from the graveyard paired with effects that grant additional land plays each turn are all pretty much the same.</p>
<p>The variations come in the form of different color restrictions and each commander serving a different role in that engine. The thing that makes Szarel, Genesis Shepherd stand out is that its the only commander that plays the role of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crucible of Worlds" href="#" target="_blank">Crucible of Worlds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from the command zone.</p>
<p>If I had to place <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into a definitive category, I'd call it a land-based aggro deck. This deck's plan is sticking Szarel on the board and stacking up counters on our creatures while playing multiple fetchlands from the graveyard each turn. Then, land-based combos and <em>Landfall</em> payoffs provide solid backup plans.</p>
<p>I'm incredibly excited to delve into this one.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Halana and Alena, Partners"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tifa Lockhart"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scythecat Cub"></div></div>
<p>Since Szarel can't put +1/+1 counters on itself, it'll be critical to build a board of creatures that can maximize the benefit from Szarel's counters.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Halana and Alena, Partners" href="#" target="_blank">Halana and Alena, Partners</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was the first card that popped into my mind when Szarel was spoiled. It's perfect. You sacrifice a land, put Szarel's counters onto Halana and Alena, then at the beginning of combat Halana and Alena grows Szarel's power so your creatures can receive even more counters next turn.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scythecat Cub" href="#" target="_blank">Scythecat Cub</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bristly Bill, Spine Sower" href="#" target="_blank">Bristly Bill, Spine Sower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> create a similar engine with Szarel as well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scythecat Cub" href="#" target="_blank">Scythecat Cub</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tifa Lockhart" href="#" target="_blank">Tifa Lockhart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are both creatures with trample that can become lethal threats on a turn that you play multiple fetchlands.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azusa, Lost but Seeking"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Gitrog Monster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Life from the Loam"></div></div>
<p>One of my favorite parts of building around a given lands commander is getting to construct an engine that covers the functions that the commander can't.</p>
<p>Szarel is just the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crucible of Worlds" href="#" target="_blank">Crucible of Worlds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect, so the 99 will need to cover the other functions, like additional land plays. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azusa, Lost but Seeking" href="#" target="_blank">Azusa, Lost but Seeking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and many cards like her are here to cover that. Recurring one fetchland every turn with Szarel's ability is a decent floor, but recurring two, three, or potentially even more than that each turn is where the real power is.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides an extra land play, a card draw engine, and a sacrifice outlet for lands that can't sacrifice themselves. That sacrifice outlet is also critical to maximize other forms of recursion, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Life from the Loam" href="#" target="_blank">Life from the Loam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Channeling a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boseiju, Who Endures" href="#" target="_blank">Boseiju, Who Endures</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or cycling a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheltered Thicket" href="#" target="_blank">Sheltered Thicket</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, replaying it with Szarel's ability, then sacrificing it to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and picking it back up with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Life from the Loam" href="#" target="_blank">Life from the Loam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to repeat the process is precisely the kind of incremental value I'm looking for in a lands deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Field of the Dead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boseiju, Who Endures"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza&#039;s Saga"></div></div>
<p>The most important part of every lands deck is the lands! There are so many subtle interactions and tiny details in the mana base that fully explaining everything would take up more than one article, but I'll highlight a few that I think are important.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Field of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Field of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can generate an absurd amount of tokens in a single turn when this deck's engine is firing on all cylinders. The Zombie tokens it generates are also excellent targets for Szarel's +1/+1 counters.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Saga" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Saga</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another token producer that's also able to tutor zero- and one-mana artifacts. I've included a small suite of targets to grab with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Saga" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Saga</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s third chapter ability, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lavaspur Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Lavaspur Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ozolith" href="#" target="_blank">The Ozolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to ensure that the card has enough to do in games where you end up playing it multiple times.</p>
<h2>How Does This Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Depths"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jeska, Thrice Reborn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xenagos, God of Revels"></div></div>
<p>The primary win condition for this deck is getting into the red zone with giant creatures. Going tall is much faster than going wide in a deck that can stack up +1/+1 counters on creatures with trample as much as this deck can.</p>
<p>The token that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes presents a fast clock that can swing in for lethal damage very quickly, especially when paired with additional pump effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska, Thrice Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska, Thrice Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xenagos, God of Revels" href="#" target="_blank">Xenagos, God of Revels</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. However, the real beauty of this deck is that literally any creature can become big enough to kill someone.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titania, Protector of Argoth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scute Swarm"></div></div>
<p>This deck isn't lacking options to go wide either! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scute Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Scute Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in particular is known for getting out of hand quickly. Grindy games where lots of removal gets pointed at my biggest threats will often come down to several thousand Scute Swarm tokens finishing the job. I'm normally reluctant to include cards like Scute Swarm due to the logistical difficulties of representing board states with 3,000 tokens, but in this case I decided the upside was worth the potential inconvenience.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Strip Mine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wasteland"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summer Bloom"></div></div>
<p>Finally, if all else fails, there's always the win condition of extinguishing your opponents' will to continue playing.</p>
<p>This deck is better than any other at recurring <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strip Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Strip Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I freely admit, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strip Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Strip Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> locks are a guilty pleasure of mine and that definitely had an impact on my excitement to build Szarel. It may not be for every play group, but at the "anything goes" types of tables I play at, there is nothing I love more than firing off <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> after Wasteland at my opponents' unsuspecting lands.</p>
<p>Admittedly, I think this deck is likely winning via other means too quickly for this to come up, but the option makes me feel confident about the deck's capacity in longer games.</p>
<h2>Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Szaresl" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Szarel, Genesis Shepherd
[/Commander]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Canyon Slough
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Commercial District
*1 Dark Depths
*1 Field of the Dead
*1 Forest
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Mountain
*1 Nurturing Peatland
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Raucous Theater
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Shifting Woodland
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Snow-Covered Forest
*1 Snow-Covered Mountain
*1 Snow-Covered Swamp
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Strip Mine
*1 Swamp
*1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 Underground Mortuary
*1 Urza&#039;s Cave
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Wasteland
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
*1 Ziatora&#039;s Proving Ground
[/Lands]
[Creatures]
*1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
*1 Bristly Bill, Spine Sower
*1 Courser of Kruphix
*1 Delighted Halfling
*1 Dryad Arbor
*1 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
*1 Elvish Reclaimer
*1 Gladiolus Amicitia
*1 Halana and Alena, Partners
*1 Ignoble Hierarch
*1 Loot, Exuberant Explorer
*1 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
*1 Oracle of Mul Daya
*1 Ramunap Excavator
*1 Scute Swarm
*1 Scythecat Cub
*1 Shigeki, Jukai Visionary
*1 Six
*1 Sowing Mycospawn
*1 Sylvan Safekeeper
*1 Tannuk, Memorial Ensign
*1 The Gitrog Monster
*1 Tifa Lockhart
*1 Titania, Protector of Argoth
*1 Wight of the Reliquary
*1 Xenagos, God of Revels
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Abrupt Decay
*1 Chord of Calling
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Realms Uncharted
*1 Untimely Malfunction
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Casualties of War
*1 Culling Ritual
*1 Gamble
*1 Green Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Life from the Loam
*1 Malevolent Rumble
*1 Molten Collapse
*1 Summer Bloom
*1 Sylvan Scrying
*1 Toxic Deluge
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Horn of Greed
*1 Lavaspur Boots
*1 Ozolith, the Shattered Spire
*1 Shadowspear
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Ozolith
[/Artifacts]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Grist, the Hunger Tide
*1 Jeska, Thrice Reborn
*1 Lord Windgrace
*1 Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes
*1 Wrenn and Seven
[/Planeswalkers]
[Enchantments]
*1 Exploration
*1 Roaring Earth
*1 Spelunking
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This deck is an absolute blast. Going forward, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be my automatic recommendation to anyone looking to build a land-centric strategy in Commander. I'd tentatively place this deck in Bracket 3 (Upgraded) with the caveat that cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strip Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Strip Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might not fly at every table and is something I'd recommend discussing with tables ahead of time.</p>
<p>As always, each play group is different.</p>


crucible

Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Deck Tech