Does Universes Beyond Kill the Game's Magic?

Top 10 Most Played Universes Beyond Cards Outside LTR

Top 10 Time Counter Cards for Taigam, Master Opportunist

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gallifrey Stands" href="#" target="_blank">Gallifrey Stands</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="https://geringalex.artstation.com/https://geringalex.artstation.com/">Alexander Gering</a></h6>
<h1>Entering the TARDIS</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome to another edition of <em>Beyond the Multiverse</em>, where we dive into the Universes Beyond card pool and assemble decks from it. Today, we have one of two lists that's near and dear to my heart (The other will be coming soon). Above all, it's been a lot of fun to build and play with, and I've sought to reassemble the deck multiple times.</p>
<p>As icing on the cake, there's a flavor challenge that makes this immaculate. As a result, you weren't sacrificing power like we had to for the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/beyond-the-multiverse-whos-that-under-the-sea-spongebob-squarepants">Spongebob article</a> I did the other week, but it's still solid in its own right. Let's walk through the door, shall we?</p>
<h2>Meeting the Doctor</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Fourteenth Doctor"></div></div>
<p>The Doctor himself (at least for this incarnation; I'd be using they/them to address them generally) is a much-beloved figure from the <em>Doctor Who </em>series who travels across time and space on a myriad of adventures. They, hailing from the planet Gallifrey, stop numerous villains from achieving their schemes time and again.</p>
<p>This incarnation, however, was a short-lived one, as he was largely present for the series's 60th Anniversary specials. There, he undergoes a journey which culminates into a showdown with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Celestial Toymaker" href="#" target="_blank">The Celestial Toymaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He triumphs, but not before undergoing a special kind of regeneration that results in both he and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Fifteenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Fifteenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> coexisting.</p>
<p>Most importantly, Fourteenth has but a simple request for us: Run as many Doctors as we can. Moreover, he have you look at the top 14 cards of your library, and ditch any Doctors you see in the graveyard, and you choose one for him.</p>
<p>In addition, he becomes that Doctor, only except he has haste. Considering the cards, stretched across three precons and a Secret Lair Drop, we're bound to have several themes mashing together into some wibbly-wobbly mess.</p>
<p>...What's that? You want a focused deck plan? I threw that in a supernova. I simply don't agree with it. However, we're operating under a challenge: Every card in the deck is from the <em>Doctor Who </em>release, and a lone Secret Lair drop, <em>Secret Lair x Doctor Who: Regeneration</em>. However, we won't be using <em>The Masters of Evil</em> precon for today's decklist. That said, I'll have a section for it later in the article.</p>
<h2>Across Time and Space</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rose Noble"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Tenth Doctor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clara Oswald"></div></div>
<p>Going through all of the Doctors, we have a total of 17: First-Fifteenth, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The War Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The War Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (10, 973 decks) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Fugitive Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Fugitive Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4,299 decks), and with them comes a scattered mixture of effects, reflecting the themes of each preconstructed deck that featured the Doctors: Historic, Time Counters, and Exile/Paradox.</p>
<p>As a result, the rest of our deck has to blend in with them. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Tenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Tenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (10,919 decks) is one of the best: He suspends cards on attack and, if you can afford it, bring stuff from exile onto the stack quickly. With that in mind, you'd get to demonstrate those spells with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Twelfth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Twelfth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or rack up time counters to make <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The War Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The War Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a serious problem for your opponents.</p>
<p>Further, I would be remiss if I didn't bring up The Doctor's numerous companions. Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rose Noble" href="#" target="_blank">Rose Noble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (1,490 decks) not only draws us cards, but can be used in the Command Zone if we choose. You can choose to run Fourteenth on his own, but The Doctor must always have a companion.</p>
<p>Secondly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clara Oswald" href="#" target="_blank">Clara Oswald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (6,488 decks) also works, too, and is one of the best of the companions (card-wise), as she doubles up on any triggered abilities the Doctors have. Moreover, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yasmin Khan" href="#" target="_blank">Yasmin Khan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (3,763 decks) "draws" us a card we could cast. In a similar vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sarah Jane Smith" href="#" target="_blank">Sarah Jane Smith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (9,791 decks) lets us investigate for Historic spells we cast.</p>
<p>On the other hand, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jamie McCrimmon" href="#" target="_blank">Jamie McCrimmon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (3,673 decks) is a threat in his own right, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K-9, Mark I" href="#" target="_blank">K-9, Mark I</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (27,659 decks) protects our legendary creatures (and we'll have a lot!). Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tegan Jovanka" href="#" target="_blank">Tegan Jovanka</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (5,753 decks) protects an attacking historic creature we control.</p>
<h2>We're in a Library; Arm Yourself</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="TARDIS"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Twice Upon a Time // Unlikely Meeting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Displaced Dinosaurs"></div></div>
<p>Most importantly, the rest of the deck should help bind all three themes together. The Doctor's famous <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="TARDIS" href="#" target="_blank">TARDIS</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (16,010 decks) is an exemplar of what we're looking for: It's Historic, and casts from exile via Cascade. Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspiring Refrain" href="#" target="_blank">Inspiring Refrain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (30,919 decks) is a spell you'll always want to suspend, drawing you cards once every few turns on average.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Into the Time Vortex" href="#" target="_blank">Into the Time Vortex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (15,276 decks) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throes of Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Throes of Chaos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (20,187 decks) not only Cascade, but can be cast from anywhere outside of your hand. This works in tandem with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Thirteenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Thirteenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (16,664 decks) to bolster your creatures, and untap them.</p>
<p>On the other hand, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Displaced Dinosaurs" href="#" target="_blank">Displaced Dinosaurs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (22,458 decks) turns the Doctors into major threats. In addition, it's worth noting that the clue tokens we make here can also become 7/7s as well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twice Upon a Time // Unlikely Meeting" href="#" target="_blank">Twice Upon a Time // Unlikely Meeting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (6,703 decks)'s adventure half gets us a Doctor we need, and (assuming we have at least two Doctors out) gives us an extra turn. Speaking of which, this does raise a concern with the deck.</p>
<p>With only 16 Doctors in the 99, we'll need to find as many of them as we can. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="An Unearthly Child" href="#" target="_blank">An Unearthly Child</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (5,294 decks) helps us dig for the Doctors, but also searches for their Companions and vehicles, too. However, the best of these is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Five Doctors" href="#" target="_blank">The Five Doctors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4,241 decks). Unkicked, we get to find up to five Doctors.</p>
<p>That said, if you're able to cast it with the kicker cost, we can get those five into play as well. Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Lord Regeneration" href="#" target="_blank">Time Lord Regeneration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4,708 decks) fetches another Doctor if one should happen to kick the bucket.</p>
<h2>Allons-y!</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Going Universes Beyond-The Rise of Gallifrey" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rose Noble
*1 The Fourteenth Doctor
[/Commander]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Farewell
*1 Farseek
*1 Impending Flux
*1 Inspiring Refrain
*1 Into the Time Vortex
*1 Search for Tomorrow
*1 The Five Doctors
*1 Throes of Chaos
*1 Traverse Eternity
*1 Twice Upon a Time // Unlikely Meeting
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Gallifrey Falls // No More
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Surge of Brilliance
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Time Lord Regeneration
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Adric, Mathematical Genius
*1 Clara Oswald
*1 Displaced Dinosaurs
*1 Jamie McCrimmon
*1 K-9, Mark I
*1 Sarah Jane Smith
*1 The Eighth Doctor
*1 The Eleventh Doctor
*1 The Fifteenth Doctor
*1 The Fifth Doctor
*1 The First Doctor
*1 The Fourth Doctor
*1 The Fugitive Doctor
*1 The Ninth Doctor
*1 The Second Doctor
*1 The Seventh Doctor
*1 The Sixth Doctor
*1 The Tenth Doctor
*1 The Third Doctor
*1 The Thirteenth Doctor
*1 The Twelfth Doctor
*1 The War Doctor
*1 Yasmin Khan
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 An Unearthly Child
*1 Banish to Another Universe
*1 Day of Destiny
*1 Gallifrey Stands
*1 Grasp of Fate
*1 The Eleventh Hour
*1 The Flux
*1 The Night of the Doctor
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Heroes&#039; Podium
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sonic Screwdriver
*1 TARDIS
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Talisman of Curiosity
*1 Talisman of Impulse
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 Talisman of Unity
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Dreamroot Cascade
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fiery Islet
*2 Forest
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*1 Gallifrey Council Chamber
*1 Game Trail
*2 Island
*2 Mountain
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*1 Path of Ancestry
*2 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rockfall Vale
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sunbaked Canyon
*1 Sundown Pass
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Thriving Bluff
*1 Thriving Grove
*1 Thriving Heath
*1 Thriving Isle
*1 Vineglimmer Snarl
*1 Waterlogged Grove
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>The Time War Ends</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heroes&#039; Podium"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gallifrey Stands"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Impending Flux"></div></div>
<p>Firstly, I'm sure this decklist looks like a glorified goodstuff mess, but perhaps this is a reason why The Doctor loves humans: Our ability to see patterns that aren't there. Crucially, there are a few ways to win with this deck.</p>
<p>You can go with the combat damage strategy with stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Day of Destiny" href="#" target="_blank">Day of Destiny</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> 17,137 decks), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroes&#039; Podium" href="#" target="_blank">Heroes&#039; Podium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (41,061 decks), and the aforementioned Displaced Dinosaurs. Our creatures tend to be small fries compared to what our opponents might be playing, so buffing them is just as important as accruing value.</p>
<p>The rest of the deck, like I stated, pulls a lot of the good stuff (including one of the best mana bases of any given set of precons) in to help give it a leg-up in games. While we have wipes like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (333,945 decks), both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impending Flux" href="#" target="_blank">Impending Flux</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Night of the Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Night of the Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (8,205 and 8,601 decks respectively) play into our Exile and Historic themes respectively.</p>
<p>In addition to the green ramp spells we have access to, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Search for Tomorrow" href="#" target="_blank">Search for Tomorrow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (82,020 decks), we get to use all six Talismans of our colors. Meanwhile, we have The Doctor's handy <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sonic Screwdriver" href="#" target="_blank">Sonic Screwdriver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (51,211 decks), which is a mana rock that also carries a lot of utility.</p>
<p>However, our ultimate way to win is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gallifrey Stands" href="#" target="_blank">Gallifrey Stands</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (5,127 decks). Firstly, it pulls all of the Doctors from our graveyard to hand. If we can cast enough of them, we win! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Sixth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Sixth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (12,154 decks) helps with this by copying each Doctor we play. That said, they won't be legendary, but they still fulfill the needed criteria. However, this is a common plan with Fourteenth, and people will see it coming from miles away, so be prepared to protect your game plan.</p>
<h2>Can You Hear the Drums?</h2>
<p>If you want to make use of cards from <em>The Masters of Evil</em> precon, then there's a few options here. Firstly, you'll gain access to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (922,694 decks), which is a good wipe all around. On the other hand, we can make great use of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyber Conversion" href="#" target="_blank">Cyber Conversion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (23,264 decks), one of the best targeted removal spells from this release. Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Propaganda" href="#" target="_blank">Propaganda</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (338,922 decks) deters attackers while we assemble our board.</p>
<h2>We're All Stories, In the End</h2>
<p>In conclusion, this list is as wild as it is consistent. Further, it's as flavorful as it's solid. I'm quite confident it's a list that can hold up in a Bracket Three pod, though I typically design for Bracket Two. It's been a blast every game I jammed with it, and I hope you feel the same as well.</p>
<p>That said, while you could make the list the ordinary way, it's a dull approach. Moreover, it's also not as flavorful, and isn't as satisfying. Each game feels like you're watching a full episode of <em>Doctor Who</em> play out right before your eyes. Will there be Cybermen or Daleks? Maybe not, but it fits the mold all the same.</p>
<p>What I also like the list is that, even with the smaller than usual card pool, you could find a way to make other cards work. Maybe you want to run your favorite Doctor's Companions. Perhaps, there's a favorite card you'd like to run. Go ahead.</p>
<p>Make your own episode, and however you want it to (doesn't mean winning every game, by the way. Even heroes have to lose at some point). Either way, I'm sure it'll make for some memorable stories down the road.</p>
<p>Join us next time when we (finally!) make our first dive into Marvel. Until then, and I guess if it's my last chance to say it...</p>


Beyond the Multiverse - The Fourteenth Doctor

<p style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashad, the Lone Cyberman" href="#" target="_blank">Ashad, the Lone Cyberman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericwilkersonart/">Eric Wilkerson</a></p>
<h1>Rise of the Lone Cyberman</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Beyond the Multiverse</em>, the series where we ditch our in-universe cards (or printings, in some cases) for those sweet triangle-stamped cards.</p>
<p>Today, we jump from tomb-raiding, like we did in <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-a-lara-croft-deck-with-only-universes-beyond-cards">the first article</a> to...the future? Kind of? We're delving through the <em>Doctor Who</em> set this time around, and the set has a lot to offer.</p>
<p>The set introduced a mechanic called Doctor's Companion, which gave us a myriad of new options for multiple color combinations, including a certain Secret Lair that had mechanically unique cards inside. However, we're not focusing on them.</p>
<p>Instead, we're looking at a Grixis option. One of the precons from that release, <em>Masters of Evil</em>, introduced a whopping six commander options for the deck.</p>
<p>For instance, you can use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Davros, Dalek Creator" href="#" target="_blank">Davros, Dalek Creator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to exterminate your opponents. Additionally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Missy" href="#" target="_blank">Missy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is sure to helm a unique deck.</p>
<p>Not today. Instead, we're looking at a more obscure option. One that, I feel, has been overlooked. Without further ado, let's see who I picked.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ashad, the Lone Cyberman"></div></div>
<p>Ashad is a villain from a more recent incarnation of the Doctor Who franchise: Thirteenth. Partially converted into a Cyberman while retaining the ability to feel, Ashad tried to restore the Cybermen to their former glory.</p>
<p>In addition, he needed to find the Cyberium, a database archiving Cyberman history. In doing this, he sought to wipe out all organic life in the universe, and even allied with The Master to do this.</p>
<p>He was defeated, then revived once more to attack the UNIT headquarters, where he met his end as victory came so close. But, what about his card?</p>
<h1>The Flesh is Weak</h1>
<p>I'm sure you remember one of the New Capenna Commander precons when looking at his card. Ashad is identical to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anhelo, the Painter" href="#" target="_blank">Anhelo, the Painter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in that they want you to take advantage of the Casualty mechanic to gain value.</p>
<p>While Anhelo copied instants and sorceries, Ashad wants you to copy artifacts. Going through the UB card pool, there's a lot of artifacts worth copying with his ability.</p>
<p>However, it's also worth noting that you must sacrifice artifact creatures for the Casualty ability. When you do this, Ashad gets a +1/+1 counter, making him sizeable. But, that is not the path we're taking.</p>
<h1>Restoring the Cyber-Empire</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cybership"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Death in Heaven"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Canoptek Spyder"></div></div>
<p>Ashad wants the 99 to be filled to the brim with artifacts, especially nonlegendary ones. For this, the deck has a minor tokens subtheme, so you can sacrifice them to Ashad's ability, making him a bit bigger in the process.</p>
<p>Don't expect to win with commander damage, because this deck is all about value. To flavor the deck, the best targets for Ashad are Cybermen, but there aren't many cards that can get them out. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cybership" href="#" target="_blank">Cybership</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (12,587 decks) makes them when it connects.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Death in Heaven" href="#" target="_blank">Death in Heaven</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (9,944 decks) acts as both Cybermen maker and graveyard hate, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Cyber-Controller" href="#" target="_blank">The Cyber-Controller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an anthem that also happens to make Cybermen...and that's basically it.</p>
<p>Despite feuding with the Cybermen during the Tenth Doctor's Era, the Daleks make for good fodder, too. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Genesis of the Daleks" href="#" target="_blank">Genesis of the Daleks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (10,705 decks) has the first few chapters make tokens, but be sure to leave some behind to take advantage of that last chapter.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Dalek Emperor" href="#" target="_blank">The Dalek Emperor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> forces our opponents into a corner: Lose a creature or make a Dalek token that we can sac to Ashad later on. Ooo, evil!</p>
<p>Additionally, we can enlist some Necrons, to help us. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Royal Warden" href="#" target="_blank">Royal Warden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (9,280 decks) makes tokens upon entry, and has Unearth, so we can do it again.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Technomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Technomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (10,177 decks) brings back nontoken artifacts you had to sacrifice so you can do it again.</p>
<p>Do it twice for a one-sided <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rise of the Dark Realms" href="#" target="_blank">Rise of the Dark Realms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Canoptek Spyder" href="#" target="_blank">Canoptek Spyder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (31,047 decks) draws lots of cards, yes, but what about a second Canoptek Spyder?</p>
<p>In a similar vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Canoptek Scarab Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Canoptek Scarab Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (28,366 decks) has the potential to give you lots of little critters. However, you'll need to buff them if you wish to sacrifice them to Ashad's ability.</p>
<h1>Setting the Scheme into Motion</h1>
<p>Most importantly, since Ashad is essentially an artifact commander, we'll need some artifact synergies. While the scope and depth of artifact synergies are not as incredible as our in-universe selection, there's still some good stuff here.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="One with the Machine" href="#" target="_blank">One with the Machine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thirst for Knowledge" href="#" target="_blank">Thirst for Knowledge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will draw us cards, keeping our hands filled. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anrakyr the Traveller" href="#" target="_blank">Anrakyr the Traveller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets us cast a card for free at the cost of life. Copying <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cryptothrall" href="#" target="_blank">Cryptothrall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (31,205 decks) with Ashad's ability gives all of our artifact creatures hexproof.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Their Name Is Death" href="#" target="_blank">Their Name Is Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (28,023 decks) acts as a one-sided boardwipe for us, potentially allowing us to set up an alpha strike.</p>
<p>Also, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets us cast artifacts from the top of our library if we wanted to. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skorpekh Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Skorpekh Lord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (13,546 decks) is an anthem and grants evasion to artifact creatures, which reminds me of something.</p>
<h1>Rallying the Cybermen</h1>
<p>Anthems not only push the weaker creatures to that critical two power, but also help us dish out more damage.</p>
<p>The aforementioned Cyber Controller does it, even making the Cybermen it creates stronger. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Andúril, Narsil Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Andúril, Narsil Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (34,686 decks) works, too, perhaps one of the best to include here.</p>
<p>However, it's an attack trigger, so be sure to equip it to an expendable creature. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steel Overseer" href="#" target="_blank">Steel Overseer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is slower (unless it has haste somehow), but it can even make itself stronger.</p>
<p>The rest that are printed into the card pool (as of writing) lean towards kindred effects, thus we won't be able to maximize their potential here.</p>
<p>However, the deck I'm showcasing today has a secret weapon lying in wait.</p>
<h1>The Cyberium</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Project Beyond-Rise of the Cyberheads" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Ashad, the Lone Cyberman
[/Commander]
[Lands]
*1 Academy Ruins
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Crumbling Necropolis
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fiery Islet
*1 Foreboding Ruins
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Haunted Ridge
*1 Inventors&#039; Fair
*4 Island
*4 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Shipwreck Marsh
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Spire of Industry
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Sunken Hollow
*4 Swamp
*1 Temple of Deceit
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Malice
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
[/Lands]
[Artifacts]
*1 Agility Bobblehead
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Charisma Bobblehead
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Cursed Mirror
*1 Cybership
*1 Endurance Bobblehead
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Intelligence Bobblehead
*1 Knight Paladin
*1 Luck Bobblehead
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mystic Forge
*1 Perception Bobblehead
*1 Relic of Sauron
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Strength Bobblehead
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Talisman of Indulgence
*1 Trading Post
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Anrakyr the Traveller
*1 Auton Soldier
*1 Canoptek Scarab Swarm
*1 Canoptek Spyder
*1 Chaos Defiler
*1 Cryptothrall
*1 Cyberman Patrol
*1 Cybermat
*1 Cybermen Squadron
*1 Dalek Drone
*1 Dalek Squadron
*1 Evin, Waterdeep Opportunist
*1 Helbrute
*1 Iron Man, Titan of Innovation
*1 Knight Rampager
*1 Lokhust Heavy Destroyer
*1 Morbid Opportunist
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 Royal Warden
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Synth Infiltrator
*1 Technomancer
*1 The Cyber-Controller
*1 The Dalek Emperor
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Bottle-Cap Blast
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Cyber Conversion
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Galvanic Blast
*1 Go for the Throat
*1 Thirst for Knowledge
*1 Unexpected Windfall
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Beacon of Unrest
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 One with the Machine
*1 Their Name Is Death
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Death in Heaven
*1 Genesis of the Daleks
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>
<h1>Of Cybermen and...Bobbleheads?</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Luck Bobblehead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Agility Bobblehead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Charisma Bobblehead"></div></div>
<p>You read that heading correctly. We're using Bobbleheads, but why? First, they produce mana, even though they cost three to cast. Second is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Luck Bobblehead" href="#" target="_blank">Luck Bobblehead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which wants you to roll dice equal to the number of Bobbleheads you have.</p>
<p>I heard often that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Prince of Kroog" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Prince of Kroog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the main go-to commanders for Bobbleheads, but hear me out a minute.</p>
<p>With Ashad, you can use the Casualty trigger to copy the Bobbleheads as you cast them, so you end up with two on the field instead of one.</p>
<p>You have a small chance at having 14 of them out, thus increasing your odds of winning greatly. In addition, each Bobblehead comes with a second ability based on the number of Bobbleheads you have out. Luck can potentially win games, but what about the others?</p>
<h1>Bobbling Along</h1>
<p>Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strength Bobblehead" href="#" target="_blank">Strength Bobblehead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> puts +1/+1 counters on a creature you control. Could be useful to weasel out a win through commander damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agility Bobblehead" href="#" target="_blank">Agility Bobblehead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants haste and some potent evasion, enabling a massive swing with enough Bobbleheads out.</p>
<p>In addition, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Intelligence Bobblehead" href="#" target="_blank">Intelligence Bobblehead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> draws us cards while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Perception Bobblehead" href="#" target="_blank">Perception Bobblehead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets us dig into our library and cast something cheap.</p>
<p>However, the last two are fairly weak, but do serve some purpose here.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Charisma Bobblehead" href="#" target="_blank">Charisma Bobblehead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can potentially become an army in a can, but note that it creates 1/1 tokens that are not artifacts. So, unless you can find a way to make them stronger, they're essentially chump blockers.</p>
<p>Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endurance Bobblehead" href="#" target="_blank">Endurance Bobblehead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants a small buff (ironic, because it can enable the tokens from Charisma to, ah, convert them with Ashad's ability), and also grants indestructible for the turn.</p>
<p>But, it can only be activated at sorcery speed (like three other Bobbleheads), so its use is more narrow than I would like. A shame, really.</p>
<p>On another note, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mechanized Production" href="#" target="_blank">Mechanized Production</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (unfortunately not in this list) is perfect for the Bobbleheads: You get more of one Bobblehead, especially Luck, and you're even more likely to achieve a win condition, be it through Luck or the enchantment itself.</p>
<h1>Even More Casualties</h1>
<p>The lack of tutors in the list is a personal choice, but adding them would be a good idea if you're looking to focus on the alternate win condition more.</p>
<p>However, you can always smack your opponents down via combat damage if the stars don't align. Using Ashad's Casualty ability helps with this.</p>
<p>Doubling up on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cybermen Squadron" href="#" target="_blank">Cybermen Squadron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (36,421 decks) gives your artifact creatures double Myriad, so you get more triggers and attackers.</p>
<p>Just remember that they go away at end of combat, so you can't sacrifice them to Ashad unless you're flashing out something.</p>
<p>Two <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyberman Patrol" href="#" target="_blank">Cyberman Patrol</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s (29,527 decks) means that you get two instances of Afflict Three, so either they block and lose six, or you get through. That's a no-win situation for your opponents.</p>
<h1>Achieving Singularity</h1>
<p>In sum, there's more than just Urza who can utilize the Bobbleheads, and that an UB artifact deck is feasible. However, Ashad will not be the last of the many, many <em>Doctor Who Commander</em> options will be touching on.</p>
<p>He also will not be the last Grixis legend we'll explore either. I, for one, would like to build <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Valeyard" href="#" target="_blank">The Valeyard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but the current voting/choice numbers are not enough...yet.</p>
<p>Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. But, I'm going to try and spread out the <em>Doctor Who</em> love so there's not too many at once.<em> The Lord of the Rings</em>, for example, will be the same.</p>
<p>Tune in next time, were we jump from science fiction to something much different. Until next time, may the triangles bless your games.</p>


Beyond the Multiverse-Rise of the Cyberheads

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jenny Flint" href="#" target="_blank">Jenny Flint</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vetyyr/?hl=en">Syd Mills</a></h6>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Bottom of the Barrel</em>! This is a series where we pick a theme from EDHREC and look at the “bottom of the barrel.” This means that we look at the least played color-combination and pick a commander in those colors to brew a spicy new deck around!</p>
<p>It’s likely that this commander has not been considered for this theme before, and that’s the point! This allows us to play around with themes that we enjoy while keeping our decks unique and interesting.</p>
<p>Our theme for today's edition is: lifegain. This theme is very common in Selesnya and Orzhov colors (green and white; black and white, respectively), but today we're going to try something new.</p>
<p>According to EDHREC, the least played color combination for the "lifegain" theme is Temur (Green, Red, and Blue), so that's where we'll start. Looking at our options, I ultimately settled on an underrated Doctor Who partner pair: Jenny Flint and Madame Vastra.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jenny Flint"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Madame Vastra"></div></div>
<p>At first glance, this doesn't look like a "lifegain" commander, but Madame Vastra's ability to create Food tokens shouldn't be understated, and Jenny Flint's ability to pump up her partner is just a sweet bonus.</p>
<p>Madame Vastra's Food generation will be our primary source of lifegain from the command zone, but we have plenty of spicy includes for the 99 to ensure our life total remains high while crushing our opponents.</p>
<h2>Category #1: Ways to Gain Life</h2>
<p>Having access to green allows us to play well-known cards like Essence Warden, Courser of Kruphix, and Elder Gargaroth, but we also have the ability to include cards that are seldom seen in commander in 2024.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Essence Warden"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Courser of Kruphix"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elder Gargaroth"></div></div>
<p>Cards like: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Horizon Chimera" href="#" target="_blank">Horizon Chimera</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> benefits us from drawing cards; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lifeblood Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Lifeblood Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us a huge beater that can turn into lifegain and card advantage later on; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Candy Trail" href="#" target="_blank">Candy Trail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows us to set up our draws in the early turns while providing a way to draw a card later; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scavenged Brawler" href="#" target="_blank">Scavenged Brawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great attacking threat that can distribute its abilities from the graveyard; and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sproutback Trudge" href="#" target="_blank">Sproutback Trudge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a huge threat that we can cast over and over again.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Horizon Chimera"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lifeblood Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Candy Trail"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scavenged Brawler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sproutback Trudge"></div></div>
<h2>Category #2: Benefitting From Lifegain</h2>
<p>The most obvious lifegain payoff comes in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and while that is included in this deck, there are a few other cards that are much more interesting. For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trudge Garden" href="#" target="_blank">Trudge Garden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can turn our lifegain into 4/4 trampling beasts; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assemble the Entmoot" href="#" target="_blank">Assemble the Entmoot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can create 3 huge treefolk; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fortifying Draught" href="#" target="_blank">Fortifying Draught</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could potentially knock out an opponent out of nowhere; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azor&#039;s Gateway" href="#" target="_blank">Azor&#039;s Gateway</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can generate TONS of mana; and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marina Vendrell&#039;s Grimoire" href="#" target="_blank">Marina Vendrell&#039;s Grimoire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> acts as a "We Have Lich's Mastery At Home", drawing us cards for the amount of life we gain.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aetherflux Reservoir"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trudge Garden"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Assemble the Entmoot"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fortifying Draught"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azor&#039;s Gateway"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Marina Vendrell&#039;s Grimoire"></div></div>
<h2>Category #3: Finishers</h2>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great finisher in this deck, my personal favorite way to close out a game is with Blossoming Bogbeast.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blossoming Bogbeast"></div></div>
<p>This deck also includes a spicy lifegain-centric combo: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sporeweb Weaver" href="#" target="_blank">Sporeweb Weaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plus <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blazing Sunsteel" href="#" target="_blank">Blazing Sunsteel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Outside of being a combo piece, Sporeweb Weaver is an amazing blocker that creates a saproling when its dealt damage, but with Blazing Sunsteel you can choose to deal damage to <em>any target.</em></p>
<p>This means we can target the Sporeweb Weaver, and if it's equipped with the Blazing Sunsteel, we rinse and repeat the process. Deal a damage to the Sporeweb Weaver, gain a life and create a saproling, deal another damage to the Sporeweb Weaver, etc.</p>
<p>The important thing to note with this combo: <em>it is not infinite unless Sporeweb Weaver has indestructible! </em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sporeweb Weaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blazing Sunsteel"></div></div>
<h2>Category #4: Our First Secret Spice = A Secret Commander?</h2>
<p>As always, we have some "secret spice" for this deck, but today's "secret spice" acts a "secret commander" of sorts. Allow me to introduce you to Soulgorger Orgg.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soulgorger Orgg"></div></div>
<p>This card seems strange, right? Losing all but 1 life seems extremely risky, but that's what makes it fun! This card allows us to repeatedly gain a ridiculous amount of life, all while providing a sneaky way to win.</p>
<p>We can get the Orgg's "leave the battlefield "trigger in two ways:</p>
<ol>
<li>Bouncing it to our hand with Temur Sabertooth.</li>
<li>Sacrificing it with cards like Greater Good or Momentous Fall, and then recurring it with cards like Resurrection Orb or Mimic Vat.</li>
</ol>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Temur Sabertooth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Greater Good"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Momentous Fall"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Resurrection Orb"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mimic Vat"></div></div>
<p>While this might sound cool, we aren't <em>only</em> looking at the Orgg's ability to gain us life. When we're at 1 life, we can pull off some really sneaky things. Things like: swapping life totals with Soul Conduit or doubling our card draw and lifegain with Phial of Galadriel.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soul Conduit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phial of Galadriel"></div></div>
<h2>Category #5: Our Second Secret Spice = Coin Flips?</h2>
<p>Our second "secret spice" for this deck exists in the form of a game: a Game of Chaos. This card is a little ridiculous, especially considering that if you lose a flip your "game" is over, but if you can win a few flips in a row, this could be the most efficient lifegain spell in the entire deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Game of Chaos"></div></div>
<p>Even though this is isn't super reliable, it will definitely create some memories at the table.</p>
<p>This brings us to the end of our second edition of <em>Bottom of the Barrel</em>! I hope you enjoyed exploring a lesser-played color-combination in the world of lifegain, and hope you’ll take my ideas to brew your own craziness in the world of Temur lifegain!</p>
<p>Check out my decklist below!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Bottom of the Barrel #2 - Jenny Flint and Madame Vastra" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Jenny Flint
*1 Madame Vastra
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Accomplished Alchemist
*1 Blossoming Bogbeast
*1 Courser of Kruphix
*1 Disciple of Freyalise // Garden of Freyalise
*1 Elder Gargaroth
*1 Essence Warden
*1 Forgotten Ancient
*1 Horizon Chimera
*1 Hydroelectric Specimen // Hydroelectric Laboratory
*1 Hydroid Krasis
*1 Lifeblood Hydra
*1 Prize Pig
*1 Prosperous Innkeeper
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Scavenged Brawler
*1 Soulgorger Orgg
*1 Sporeweb Weaver
*1 Sproutback Trudge
*1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*1 Temur Sabertooth
*1 Uro, Titan of Nature&#039;s Wrath
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Blunt the Assault
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Fortifying Draught
*1 Momentous Fall
*1 Nature&#039;s Claim
*1 Pulse of Murasa
*1 Sheltering Word
*1 Worldly Tutor
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Aetherflux Reservoir
*1 Ancient Cornucopia
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azor&#039;s Gateway // Sanctum of the Sun
*1 Basilisk Collar
*1 Blazing Sunsteel
*1 Candy Trail
*1 Cosmos Elixir
*1 Elixir of Immortality
*1 Loxodon Warhammer
*1 Marina Vendrell&#039;s Grimoire
*1 Mimic Vat
*1 Phial of Galadriel
*1 Resurrection Orb
*1 Shadowspear
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Soul Conduit
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Bala Ged Recovery // Bala Ged Sanctuary
*1 Cultivate
*1 Fabricate
*1 Farseek
*1 Game of Chaos
*1 Healing Technique
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Pest Infestation
*1 Primal Command
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Scale the Heights
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Assemble the Entmoot
*1 Azusa&#039;s Many Journeys // Likeness of the Seeker
*1 Garruk&#039;s Uprising
*1 Greater Good
*1 Trudge Garden
*1 Well Rested
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Alchemist&#039;s Refuge
*1 Brokers Hideout
*1 Cabaretti Courtyard
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Emergence Zone
*10 Forest
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 High Market
*4 Island
*1 Kessig Wolf Run
*1 Littjara Mirrorlake
*1 Miren, the Moaning Well
*4 Mountain
*1 Rugged Highlands
*1 Spire Garden
*1 Swiftwater Cliffs
*1 Thornwood Falls
*1 Training Center
*1 Witch&#039;s Clinic
[/Lands]"></span></div>




Bottom of the Barrel - Jenny Flint and Madame Vastra

The Over/Under - A Review of Doctor Who Commanders

Precon Upgrade Guide - Paradox Power

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Tenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Tenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art By <a href="https://www.luisapreissler.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Luisa J. Preissler</a>| <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rose Tyler" href="#" target="_blank">Rose Tyler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.luisapreissler.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Luisa J. Preissler</a>| <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Millennium Calendar" href="#" target="_blank">The Millennium Calendar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://boros-szikszai.com/landing_2/boros/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zoltan Boros</a>)</h6>
<p>Hey friends. It's Beth, Queen of Cardboard here, with the Precon Upgrade Guide for the <em>Universes Beyond: Doctor Who</em> deck, <em>Timey-Wimey</em>. If you haven't yet had the chance to play this deck, or play against it, get ready for one of the most technically complicated preconstructed decks in <em>Magic: the Gathering</em>.</p>
<p>The deck focuses on time and the adding and removing of time counters. Prior to this release, this particular counter didn't see a lot of use in the game, and when used, was often overlooked. Going through upgrading this deck, I was surprised by the amount of cards in the Universes Within that deal with time counters.</p>
<p>Let's get into it.</p>
<h2>Time. What is it Good For?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Tenth Doctor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rose Tyler"></div></div>
<p>It would be easy to say that the deck flourishes because of how well synergized <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Tenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Tenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rose Tyler" href="#" target="_blank">Rose Tyler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are together. He gives you more time counters, she gets bigger. Swing in for lethal commander damage, game over. While this is still the main way the deck will operate, it takes a true master of time to control how to use the time counters to cast the exact spell at the correct time.</p>
<p>This deck can be super fun; it can also be a huge headache. When choosing what to add, I focused purely on cards that would be useful in the deck <em>and</em> had time counters on them in one way or another. Cards with Suspend and Vanishing were my primary focus.</p>
<p>Pulling from newer sets, this deck feels incredibly complete with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gandalf of the Secret Fire" href="#" target="_blank">Gandalf of the Secret Fire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from the <em>Tales of Middle-earth</em> holiday release, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Millennium Calendar" href="#" target="_blank">The Millennium Calendar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <em>The Lost Caverns of Ixalan</em>. Gandalf's ability creates a delayed Rebound-effect on instant and sorcery spells cast from your hand during your opponents' turns, giving them Suspend and adding three time counters. While this isn't an ability I would normally build around, it's a big win in this list.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gandalf of the Secret Fire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Millennium Calendar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lotus Bloom"></div></div>
<p>The amount of time counters you're able to put on cards really inspired me to put in the alternate win condition The Millennium Calendar. While it technically doesn't say "You win the game," I hope draining your opponents for 1,000 life is game-ending. Notably, because it's life loss instead of damage, and it doesn't target, it gets around some protection effects, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>And adding to the ramp package, I included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lotus Bloom" href="#" target="_blank">Lotus Bloom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mox Tantalite" href="#" target="_blank">Mox Tantalite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>Timecrafting</h2>
<p>In addition to the cards already in the deck, I wanted more ways to add or remove counters as needed. Filling this need is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jhoira&#039;s Timebug" href="#" target="_blank">Jhoira&#039;s Timebug</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Timecrafting" href="#" target="_blank">Timecrafting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dust of Moments" href="#" target="_blank">Dust of Moments</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. A little out-of-pocket tech is using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Delay" href="#" target="_blank">Delay</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to counter a spell of yours that an opponent has attempted to counter. Instead of the card going to the graveyard, you'll be able to get it later as a Suspended card.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Timecrafting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jhoira&#039;s Timebug"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dust of Moments"></div></div>
<p>Notably missing from this list is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jhoira of the Ghitu" href="#" target="_blank">Jhoira of the Ghitu</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it's totally one you can add in if you want to be able to exile cards from your hand and Suspend them on the board. But I kept in the more thematic card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Face of Boe" href="#" target="_blank">The Face of Boe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which fills this slot and is able to put most of the cards in the deck on the board this way.</p>
<p>Check out all the cards added to the deck below.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Timey-Wimey Cards Added" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Artifacts]
*1 Infinite Hourglass
*1 Lotus Bloom
*1 Mox Tantalite
*1 The Millennium Calendar
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Aeon Chronicler
*1 Chronozoa
*1 Gandalf of the Secret Fire
*1 Jhoira&#039;s Timebug
*1 Lavacore Elemental
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Delay
*1 Dust of Moments
*1 Timecrafting
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Chronomantic Escape
*1 Wheel of Fate
[/Sorceries]"></span></div>


<h2>Lost to Time</h2>
<p>Removing cards from a deck, especially one as synergistic as the Doctor Who decks, is always difficult. In these Upgrade Guides, I try to add cards that synergize with what the commander is telling me the deck wants to do. This meant cards that didn't add time counters or remove them had to go.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wedding Ring"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jenny, Generated Anomaly"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adipose Offspring"></div></div>
<p>The hardest cut was <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wedding Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Wedding Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as this is one of my favorite cards to play in white and I'm constantly looking for more to add to decks. I was so happy it got a reprint, but in this case it had to go, because you'll already be digging through your deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Tenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Tenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I also dropped <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jenny, Generated Anomaly" href="#" target="_blank">Jenny, Generated Anomaly</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, even though I personally believe Explore is a busted mechanic.</p>
<p>When I first played against this deck, I mistakenly thought that a Saga lore counters were time counters as well, which would have been great for the deck. But since they're not, they're out of here. And <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adipose Offspring" href="#" target="_blank">Adipose Offspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, although cute, doesn't help our deck do anything with time counters.</p>
<p>Check out all the deck cuts I made below.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Timey-Wimey Cards Removed" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Enchantments]
*1 Grasp of Fate
*1 The Day of the Doctor
*1 The Eleventh Hour
*1 The Girl in the Fireplace
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Adipose Offspring
*1 Donna Noble
*1 Jenny, Generated Anomaly
*1 Martha Jones
*1 The Ninth Doctor
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Psychic Paper
*1 RMS Titanic
*1 TARDIS
*1 Wedding Ring
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Coward // Killer
[/Sorceries]"></span></div>


<h2>Clockspinning</h2>
<p>With these changes, the deck really spins time. And while you have great supporting cards, I still believe that Rose Tyler is the true star of this show. With being able to get time counters extremely reliably, it's not going to take very many turns for her to get out of control, and I foresee you swinging in for five to nine commander damage on turn three or four with no problems.</p>
<p>Check out the entire deck list below:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Timey-Wimey Precon Upgrade Deck" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rose Tyler
*1 The Tenth Doctor
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Aeon Chronicler
*1 Amy Pond
*1 Astrid Peth
*1 Atraxi Warden
*1 Chronozoa
*1 Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
*1 Flesh Duplicate
*1 Gandalf of the Secret Fire
*1 Idris, Soul of the TARDIS
*1 Jhoira&#039;s Timebug
*1 Judoon Enforcers
*1 Kate Stewart
*1 Lavacore Elemental
*1 Rory Williams
*1 Sally Sparrow
*1 Sibylline Soothsayer
*1 Star Whale
*1 The Eleventh Doctor
*1 The Face of Boe
*1 The War Doctor
*1 Time Beetle
*1 Wilfred Mott
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 All of History, All at Once
*1 Chronomantic Escape
*1 Ecstatic Beauty
*1 Everything Comes to Dust
*1 Farewell
*1 Fractured Identity
*1 Inspiring Refrain
*1 Nanogene Conversion
*1 The Wedding of River Song
*1 Wheel of Fate
*1 Wibbly-wobbly, Timey-wimey
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Infinite Hourglass
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Lotus Bloom
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mox Tantalite
*1 Rotating Fireplace
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sonic Screwdriver
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 The Millennium Calendar
*1 The Moment
*1 The Pandorica
*1 Thought Vessel
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 As Foretold
*1 Crack in Time
*1 Four Knocks
*1 Out of Time
*1 Regenerations Restored
*1 The Parting of the Ways
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Clockspinning
*1 Delay
*1 Dust of Moments
*1 Everybody Lives!
*1 Gallifrey Falls // No More
*1 Run for Your Life
*1 Timecrafting
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fiery Islet
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Irrigated Farmland
*3 Island
*3 Mountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Mystic Monastery
*1 Ominous Cemetery
*1 Path of Ancestry
*3 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Skycloud Expanse
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sunbaked Canyon
*1 Sundown Pass
*1 Temple of Enlightenment
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Triumph
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
*1 Thriving Bluff
*1 Trenzalore Clocktower
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<h2>In Conclusion</h2>
<p>This deck is my least favorite to play against out of the four Doctor Who precons because it can become very difficult to keep up with everything going on on the board. With the changes I've made, it's going to continue to spit out Suspended cards and time counters, and it takes an experienced pilot to cast spells and not cast spells at the correct time. Bringing in cards from other sets that also deal with Vanishing and Suspend will give you even more to pay attention to; I, for one, tremble to see this guy in action.</p>
<p>Let me know what changes you made to the <em>Timey-Wimey</em> deck and what's your favorite deck from Doctor Who in the comments.</p>
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