Too-Specific Top 10 - (Last) Year In Review

<p style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigarda, Host of Herons" href="#" target="_blank">Sigarda, Host of Herons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://rahnart.com">Chris Rahn</a>)</p>
<h1>Hosting Herons for the Holidays</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>Challenge the Stats</em>! This series is based on the awesome <a href="https://edhrecast.libsyn.com/">EDHRECast</a> segment where we pick out cards that we think are overplayed, underplayed, or sleepers to challenge EDHREC’s data. Remember, these are merely comments on the data, and card choices made by <em>you,</em> the deckbrewer, for any reason such as flavor, budget, art, or fun are always most important and are what keep our format unique and awesome.</p>
<p>This week, we're discussing a commander from <em>Avacyn Restored</em> in honor of returning to Innistrad: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigarda, Host of Herons" href="#" target="_blank">Sigarda, Host of Herons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sigarda, Host of Herons"></div></div>
<p>I love the Voltron strategy, and Sigarda helps mitigate two important weaknesses that Voltron struggles with: sacrifice effects, and targeted removal.</p>
<p>Luckily, we have a seasoned Sigarda player on the EDHREC team: <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/dana-roach/">Dana Roach</a>, who is known for his hipster commander choices, extensive knowledge of obscure cards, and most importantly, his majestic beard. Dana was gracious enough to consult with me on these challenges, and you'll find his responses below (in <em>italics</em>). If you want to hear more of his insights, check him out on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCApiDwDpn_JpzRGLZKrdr1g">EDHRECast</a>, his <em>other</em> podcast <a href="https://cmdrcentral.libsyn.com/">CMDR Central</a>, and writing articles on <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/dana-roach/">EDHREC</a> and <a href="https://commandersherald.com/author/dana-roach/">Commander's Herald</a>.</p>
<p>We're going to challenge the data from all 770 Sigarda decks at the time of writing, and you can see how often those cards are played in parentheses (%). Here we go.</p>
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<h1>Challenges</h1>
<h2>Overplayed</h2>
<h3>1. <span style="font-size: 16px;">Ramp Strategies</span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kodama&#039;s Reach"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fertile Ground"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Herald of the Pantheon"></div></div>
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<div class="markup-2BOw-j messageContent-2qWWxC">Players seems to be torn on land ramp (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kodama’s Reach" href="#" target="_blank">Kodama’s Reach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-48%) vs. enchantment ramp (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fertile Ground" href="#" target="_blank">Fertile Ground</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-49%) vs. enchantment cost-reducers (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Herald of the Pantheon" href="#" target="_blank">Herald of the Pantheon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-37%). I asked Dana how these compare, and which ones are worth running.</div>
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<p><strong>Dana:</strong> <em>Cost reducers are maybe worth it, though I think it depends on how many Auras and enchantments you run with colorless pips. I've seen them in decks filled with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ethereal Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Ethereal Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daybreak Coronet" href="#" target="_blank">Daybreak Coronet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, so the reduction they generate isn't that impressive.</em></p>
<p><em>Land ramp is safer from being removed, generally speaking, but I think the slightly increased risk to losing your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wild Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Wild Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Utopia Sprawl" href="#" target="_blank">Utopia Sprawl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is worth it when the upside is drawing a card (or two or four). Plus, they add to the enchantment count for things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Serra&#039;s Sanctum" href="#" target="_blank">Serra&#039;s Sanctum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, etc., and add to the pip count for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx" href="#" target="_blank">Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All told, I think the advantages to enchantment ramp pretty heavily outweigh the negatives.</em></p>
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<h3>2. Shalai, Voice of Plenty (19%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shalai, Voice of Plenty"></div></div>
<p>Perhaps she's included as an Angel buddy for Sigarda, but Shalai clashes with Sigarda's strategy for a couple reasons. The first is that she gives Sigarda redundant hexproof. She gives our other creatures hexproof, too, but most Sigarda decks are focusing on buffing up Sigarda and probably don't have a ton of other creatures that are essential to protect. It's definitely nice to protect your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Argothian Enchantress" href="#" target="_blank">Argothian Enchantress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but that slot might be better served with another piece to keep our engine running.</p>
<p>Secondly, her ability to put counters on every creature we control does a lot more work in a go-wide deck. For six mana, we're really only happy paying that high cost if we have 5+ creatures to distribute counters to, and that rate is pretty bad for our Voltron plan of buffing up one creature.</p>
<h3>3. Karametra, God of Harvests (12%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karametra, God of Harvests"></div></div>
<p>Karametra isn't going to get too many creature triggers to help ramp us. The average Sigarda deck on EDHREC has less than 20 creatures, which is a decent amount, but do we want to be ramping at five mana anyways? We're also playing a lot of cheaper enchantments and Auras to trigger card draw, and Karametra is a bit higher than what we want to pay to trigger our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enchantress&#039;s Presence" href="#" target="_blank">Enchantress&#039;s Presence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
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<h2>Underplayed</h2>
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<h3 class="button-1ZiXG9" role="button" aria-label="More">4. Hunter's Insight (and friends)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hunter&#039;s Insight"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soul&#039;s Majesty"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hunter&#039;s Prowess"></div></div>
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<p class="button-1ZiXG9" role="button" aria-label="More"><strong>Dana: </strong><em>The problem with these three cards is that normally you're at risk of being two-for-one'd. You cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul&#039;s Majesty" href="#" target="_blank">Soul&#039;s Majesty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (8%) on your big beater, and someone removes it, simultaneously removing your big beater and fizzling your spell. </em><em>Sigarda (and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonlord Dromoka" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonlord Dromoka</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) solve that problem 99% of the time by making it almost impossible to remove her in response. Additionally, you need to be able to poke through for damage, something a flying Angel (and Dragon, in the case of Dromoka) can, and almost always, do. </em></p>
<p class="button-1ZiXG9" role="button" aria-label="More"><em>With Sigarda out, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunter&#039;s Insight" href="#" target="_blank">Hunter&#039;s Insight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (9%) is a baseline draw five for 2G, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul&#039;s Majesty" href="#" target="_blank">Soul&#039;s Majesty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (8%) is a draw five for 4G, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunter&#039;s Prowess" href="#" target="_blank">Hunter&#039;s Prowess</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4%) is a draw eight for 4G, and that's baseline. Generally speaking, all three wind up drawing me double digits. Plus, Hunter's Prowess granting trample has been useful in more than one situation late game when I had Sigarda suited up with Auras to make her 20+ power but my opponent had flying blockers.</em></p>
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<h3>5. Destiny Spinner (50%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Destiny Spinner"></div></div>
<p>This lovely utility enchantment creature prevents Sigarda from being countered, which is a key way players can interrupt our plan.</p>
<p>Also, as Dana astutely points out, "<em>It can also stop someone from countering that potential game-ending enchantment, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Battle Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>."</em></p>
<h3>6. Sterling Grove (50%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sterling Grove"></div></div>
<p>This enchantment staple used to be over $15. With a reprint in <em>Modern Horizons 2</em>, it's delightfully hovering around $2 now.</p>
<p>Dana adds, "<em>Unlike <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Greater Auramancy" href="#" target="_blank">Greater Auramancy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it doesn't stop you from enchanting your already-enchanted creatures, or from enchanting a Heliod or Nylea in a pinch."</em></p>
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<h2>Sleepers</h2>
<h3>7. Mark of Sakiko (8 decks)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mark of Sakiko"></div></div>
<p><strong>Dana: </strong><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mark of Sakiko" href="#" target="_blank">Mark of Sakiko</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is in just 8 Sigarda decks overall. The worst case scenario here is almost always spending 1G to get 5 mana back since it's almost impossible to stop at least one swing with an evasive, hexproof body. Then, someone wipes the board and it goes away. Much more realistically though, thanks to Sigarda being hexproof and rarely just dealing 5 damage, you might generate 8, 10, 12, or even 20 mana off a single swing, and there's a decent chance it sticks around for multiple turns. And, if someone wants to blow a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disenchant" href="#" target="_blank">Disenchant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on Mark of Sakiko? Well, that's a win too.</em></p>
<h3>8. Season of Growth (2%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Season of Growth"></div></div>
<p><strong>Dana: </strong><em>This is really only relevant if you're playing some kind of Enchantress or Enchantment Voltron deck. Season is currently in just 2% of Sigarda decks, and just 6,567 decks overall. The problem here, I think, is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Season of Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Season of Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> says, "Whenever you cast a spell that targets a creature you control, draw a card." If it said, "Whenever you cast an Aura that targets a creature you control, draw a card," it would see more play, but it's easy to miss as a draw engine if you're doing a Scryfall search for cards that say "Aura" or "enchantment".</em></p>
<p><em>Plus it draws you a card off <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunter&#039;s Insight" href="#" target="_blank">Hunter&#039;s Insight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul&#039;s Majesty" href="#" target="_blank">Soul&#039;s Majesty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunter&#039;s Prowess" href="#" target="_blank">Hunter&#039;s Prowess</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</em></p>
<h3>9. Instill Energy</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Instill Energy"></div></div>
<p>One key thing Sigarda is missing is haste. Sure, we can throw on some <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (17%) or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (11%), but why not lean into the theme? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Instill Energy" href="#" target="_blank">Instill Energy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can trigger all of our card-drawing Enchantress effects for one green mana, effectively cycling itself if we're digging for answers. It also provides pseudo-vigilance with its second ability, which can be pretty relevant if we're hoping to swing in but also want to leave up a blocker on defense.</p>
<p>Dana also likes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hall of the Bandit Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Hall of the Bandit Lord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a haste enabler, since the deck often has enough lifegain to make up for it.</p>
<h3>10. Molting Skin (2 decks)/Broken Fall (11 decks)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Molting Skin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Broken Fall"></div></div>
<p>These are two of my favorites. There may be more optimal choices, but let me make a case for them. Sometimes, we'll need to tap out for Sigarda, and if a board wipe happens after, that we'll be pretty sad. These enchantments prevent most destruction-based board wipes from setting us back, and we can get them out before we cast Sigarda so that she's protected as soon as she hits the field. Unlike Auras, these <em>never</em> go to the graveyard as long as there's a creature out for us to target - we can always bounce them back to hand.</p>
<p>Plus, if we're digging for cards, we can bounce these back to our hand repeatedly to trigger Enchantress effects! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flickering Ward" href="#" target="_blank">Flickering Ward</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been creeping up in price, and these warrant a look for the same reason.</p>
<p>Let's take a look at Dana's personal Sigarda list!</p>
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<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Sigarda, Host of Herons: An Angel Enchanted" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 All That Glitters
*1 Ancestral Mask
*1 Armadillo Cloak
*1 Aura of Silence
*1 Banishing Light
*1 Bear Umbra
*1 Carpet of Flowers
*1 City of Solitude
*1 Darksteel Mutation
*1 Dawn&#039;s Reflection
*1 Daybreak Coronet
*1 Duelist&#039;s Heritage
*1 Enchantress&#039;s Presence
*1 Ethereal Armor
*1 Fertile Ground
*1 Flickering Ward
*1 Frontier Siege
*1 Hallowed Haunting
*1 Mana Reflection
*1 Mantle of the Ancients
*1 Mark of Sakiko
*1 Mirari&#039;s Wake
*1 Oblivion Ring
*1 Overgrowth
*1 Season of Growth
*1 Shield of the Oversoul
*1 Sigil of the Empty Throne
*1 Song of the Dryads
*1 Sphere of Safety
*1 Sterling Grove
*1 Stony Silence
*1 Sylvan Library
*1 Unflinching Courage
*1 Wild Growth
*1 Wolfwillow Haven
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Hunter&#039;s Insight
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker
*1 Rite of Harmony
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Austere Command
*1 Bala Ged Recovery
*1 Hunter&#039;s Prowess
*1 Replenish
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Soul&#039;s Majesty
*1 Winds of Rath
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Academy Rector
*1 Archon of Sun&#039;s Grace
*1 Argothian Enchantress
*1 Destiny Spinner
*1 Eidolon of Blossoms
*1 Heliod, God of the Sun
*1 Kor Spiritdancer
*1 Mesa Enchantress
*1 Nylea&#039;s Colossus
*1 Nylea, God of the Hunt
*1 Sanctum Weaver
*1 Satyr Enchanter
*1 Setessan Champion
*1 Sram, Senior Edificer
*1 Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand
*1 Verduran Enchantress
[/Creatures]
[Lands]
*1 Ancient Tomb
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Branchloft Pathway
*1 Brushland
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Temple
*4 Forest
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
*1 Horizon Canopy
*1 Kor Haven
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*4 Plains
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Savannah
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Serra&#039;s Sanctum
*1 Strip Mine
*1 Sungrass Prairie
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Tectonic Edge
*1 Temple Garden
*1 War Room
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Bastion
*1 Yavimaya Hollow
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div>

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<h2>Well, I Suppose... *Slaps Knees*</h2>
<p>...is how you tell someone the party is over in Wisconsin-ese.</p>
<p>Big thanks to Dana for all his help and expertise on this challenge! You can find Dana on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/danaroach">@danaroach.</a></p>
<p>What do you think of these cards? Are there any other cards you would challenge? Let me know in the comments below! As always, you can find me on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jevin_mtg">@jevinmtg</a>. If you like to challenge the stats and want to join the discord, <a href="https://discord.gg/MADh5x7Smb">click here</a>.</p>


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