<p style="text-align: right;">(Sliver Gravemother | Art by <a href="http://www.rahnart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Rahn</a>)</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello everyone! I’m Bert from the Scrap Trawlers, where we do EDH on a budget. Today we're taking a look at the Sliver Swarm precon from <em>Commander Masters</em>. Our face commander this time around is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Gravemother" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Gravemother</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which makes our deck Sliver typal. As always, let’s go over how the deck plays, the strengths and weaknesses, and which new and reprinted cards are worth chasing. Let’s get into it!</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Mother’s Love</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sliver Gravemother"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let’s give our face commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Gravemother" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Gravemother</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, another glance, shall we? She's a five-mana, five-color commander, and her first line of text is that the “legend rule” doesn't apply to Slivers you control. This has some powerful synergies with Slivers as they have strong legendary creatures at their disposal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The next line of text gives each Sliver in our graveyard </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Encore </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">X, where X is its mana value. This enables some amazing recursion for our deck that already has a dynamic board presence. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly, she has Encore herself, allowing you to get an additional use out of her rather than immediately sending her into the command zone. Silver Gravemother wants to be played a bit later in the game so that we can profit off of the </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Encore </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">ability and give our Slivers even more effects from one another.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let’s go ahead and take a look at the list. </span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Silver Swarm" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Sliver Gravemother
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Icon of Ancestry
*1 Pillar of Origins
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Blade Sliver
*1 Blur Sliver
*1 Bonescythe Sliver
*1 Bonesplitter Sliver
*1 Brood Sliver
*1 Capricious Sliver
*1 Cleaving Sliver
*1 Clot Sliver
*1 Cloudshredder Sliver
*1 Constricting Sliver
*1 Crypt Sliver
*1 Crystalline Sliver
*1 Diffusion Sliver
*1 Firewake Sliver
*1 Galerider Sliver
*1 Gemhide Sliver
*1 Harmonic Sliver
*1 Hatchery Sliver
*1 Hibernation Sliver
*1 Hollowhead Sliver
*1 Lavabelly Sliver
*1 Lazotep Sliver
*1 Manaweft Sliver
*1 Megantic Sliver
*1 Might Sliver
*1 Necrotic Sliver
*1 Quick Sliver
*1 Realmwalker
*1 Regal Sliver
*1 Rukarumel, Biologist
*1 Sentinel Sliver
*1 Shifting Sliver
*1 Sinew Sliver
*1 Sliver Hivelord
*1 Spiteful Sliver
*1 Striking Sliver
*1 Synapse Sliver
*1 Syphon Sliver
*1 Taunting Sliver
*1 Titan of Littjara
*1 Two-Headed Sliver
*1 Venom Sliver
*1 Winged Sliver
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Cleansing Nova
*1 Crippling Fear
*1 Cultivate
*1 Decimate
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Farseek
*1 Harsh Mercy
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Three Visits
*1 Windfall
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Descendants&#039; Fury
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 For the Ancestors
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flood Plain
*3 Forest
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 Grasslands
*1 Irrigated Farmland
*2 Island
*1 Jungle Shrine
*2 Mountain
*1 Mountain Valley
*1 Mystic Monastery
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Opulent Palace
*1 Path of Ancestry
*2 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rocky Tar Pit
*1 Sandsteppe Citadel
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Scattered Groves
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Sunken Hollow
*2 Swamp
*1 Unclaimed Territory
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With this list we have a good setup for a Slivers deck that has the power to swarm the board. Slivers in particular are a creature type that excels with multiple creatures on the board that provide a buff to all of the creatures.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let’s go ahead and get specific in what our deck's strengths are!</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Slithering Swarm</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmonic Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Two-headed Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Manaweft Sliver"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having an astonishing 43 creatures in the deck, it’s safe to say that we are an aggro deck that aims to spread our creatures around the board so that we can overrun our opponents. The average mana value this time around is 3.13, which is really good out of the box.<br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So how do the vital parts of the deck fare? Well, let's go ahead and talk about the elephant in the room. The mana base leaves much to be desired. The amount of tap-lands (lands that enter the battlefield tapped) that we have really slows down what is supposed to be an aggressive and low-to-the-ground deck. On that same note, the deck does have a decent bit of ramp, but for a five-color deck, I want to see more. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">We have some of the typical green staples, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature’s Lore" href="#" target="_blank">Nature’s Lore</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farseek" href="#" target="_blank">Farseek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so that's a good start.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next, we're missing a consistent form of card draw in the deck. Included is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher’s banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher’s banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which over the course of the game will draw us a vast amount of cards, but it’s the only recurring card draw that doesn't revolve around combat. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Herald’s Horn" href="#" target="_blank">Herald’s Horn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does its best, but giving us card draw is only half of what we want this card to do for us. Some good board wipes are included that'll see our Slivers live and prosper. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harsh Mercy" href="#" target="_blank">Harsh Mercy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be great unless our opponent is in a typal deck like we are. We also have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crippling Fear" href="#" target="_blank">Crippling Fear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cleansing Nova" href="#" target="_blank">Cleansing Nova</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which are great options when it comes to board wipes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is probably the first time in a while that I'm a bit disappointed with a precon out of the box. Once again I'm asking for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> reprint in a typal deck that is aggressive and cares about specific creature types. The mana base needs a bit of an upgrade, even if that's just including a few more basics and fetches, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terramorphic Expanse" href="#" target="_blank">Terramorphic Expanse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolving Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Evolving Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I will go into more detail into what can be fixed in my Upgrade Guide so be on the lookout for that. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So what <em>am</em> I happy with? Well, the creature suite is solid and our number of board wipes is right. We just need a bit more help in the other departments to make the deck flow a bit more. Enough about the negatives though, let’s take a look at those sweet new Commander cards that were printed in this deck. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">New to the Swarm</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We have ten new cards this time around, including Sliver Gravemother, so let’s go over all of them. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rukarumel, Biologist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Capricious Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lazotep Sliver"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The alternate commander is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rukarumel, Biologist" href="#" target="_blank">Rukarumel, Biologist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who allows you to create a typal deck for the type of your choice. They make it so that nontoken creatures you control and creature spells that you cast are the selected type, as well as all Slivers you control. I'm interested to see lists for this commander once everyone starts to brew.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricious Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Capricious Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a four-mana Sliver that gives our Slivers the ability to impulse draw when they deal combat damage to a player. I'm a huge fan of this Sliver and the potential that it has. I mean, if you </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Encore</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> it and get copies, it just provides a massive amount of card advantage. Next is another one of my favorite new cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazotep Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Lazotep Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card is a powerhouse by itself. Not only does it protect our board against wipes by making it so that we Amass whenever a Sliver dies, but it also gives Slivers we control </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Afflict </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">2</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> which disincentivizes our opponents from blocking. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Regal Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titan of Littjara"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hatchery Sliver"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some additional cards that make this deck stand out have to be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hatchery Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Hatchery Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Regal Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Regal Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titan of Littjara" href="#" target="_blank">Titan of Littjara</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. When it comes to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hatchery Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Hatchery Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Replicate is a powerful effect that lets us double up on buffs in the late game. It can come down early, but really shines during later turns where you actually have the mana to replicate your spells. I am a huge fan of the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Monarch </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Regal Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Regal Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> adding it to the game is just what I love to see. It also makes it easier to take the Monarch back, which is not always the case. Next we have our typal titan, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titan of Littjara" href="#" target="_blank">Titan of Littjara</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, giving us a bit of card draw on entering the battlefield and attacks. I'm not a huge fan of this, but the amount of cards you can draw off of it in this deck is nothing to scoff at. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Descendants’ Fury"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="For the Ancestors"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Taunting Sliver"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Descendants’ Fury" href="#" target="_blank">Descendants’ Fury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="For the Ancestors" href="#" target="_blank">For the Ancestors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taunting Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Taunting Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taunting Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Taunting Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is strong, as it gives us the ability to Goad our opponents' creatures and open them up from an attack from our buffed up Slivers. If I've learned one thing this year, it’s how powerful G</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">oad</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can be when you have multiple instances of it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="For the Ancestors" href="#" target="_blank">For the Ancestors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fine card, but I would honestly just prefer that it be a card draw spell. It does have the added benefit of having F</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">lashback</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> which allows us to use it an additional time. [/el]Descendants’ Fury[/el] is a weird card as it has you give up your board presence for a chance to get something a bit more powerful. If we had a lower number of creatures and knew what we would get off of it, I think it would be a lot better, but with 43 creatures it’s a bit too random for me. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Returned to the Horde</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the new cards also comes the return of some old ones. One I am sure that people are excited to see is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Hivelord" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Hivelord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's a very powerful card, giving our Sliver creatures some protection in the form of indestructible. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seeing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudshredder Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudshredder Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings me joy as it's a powerful and efficient card giving our Slivers two notable abilities. I've already talked about the ramp package reprints <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature’s Lore" href="#" target="_blank">Nature’s Lore</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farseek" href="#" target="_blank">Farseek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which are always welcome to show up in products such as this. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher’s Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher’s Banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also a great card to see included.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sliver Hivelord"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloudshredder Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vanquisher’s Banner"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Overall, we could have used some more noteworthy reprints, but we definitely have a bunch of Slivers that were included that I haven’t mentioned. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Final Thoughts</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While it’s not my favorite deck, I like what the Sliver Swarm precon is trying to do. The deck has some synergies built in even though it's missing a bit of the gears that make the deck tick. Be sure to let me know what </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">you</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> think about the deck in the comments below. Come back next time so we can go over some upgrades for the deck. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Make sure to check back for more precon guides from us Scrap Trawlers. The other Trawlers are coming up with the guides for the other decks, so be sure to check them out. You can also check out our budget content over on </span><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Twitch</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">YouTube</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and follow us on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>


Sliver Swarm - Precon Primer

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(Zhulodok, Void Gorger | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/lasahido" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lius Lasahido</a>)</h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello friends! Andy from the Scrap Trawlers here. As always, there’s a new set coming out next week, and that means we’ve got precons to talk about!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/eldrazi-unbound-precon-primer/">last article</a> we looked at the new colorless precon, Eldrazi Unbound, from Commander Masters. We saw that the deck is very slow due to its top-heavy mana curve. Unfortunately, high mana value cards are necessary to make the deck work. So how can we fix it? Spoiler alert: not easily. Dear reader, this is the most difficult precon upgrade I’ve ever done.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s the original decklist:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Eldrazi Unbound Precon" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Zhulodok, Void Gorger
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Abstruse Archaic
*1 Ancient Stone Idol
*1 Artisan of Kozilek
*1 Bane of Bala Ged
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Crashing Drawbridge
*1 Duplicant
*1 Endbringer
*1 Endless One
*1 Flayer of Loyalties
*1 Geode Golem
*1 Hangarback Walker
*1 It That Betrays
*1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion
*1 Matter Reshaper
*1 Metalwork Colossus
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Myriad Construct
*1 Oblivion Sower
*1 Omarthis, Ghostfire Initiate
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Palladium Myr
*1 Phyrexian Triniform
*1 Scaretiller
*1 Skittering Cicada
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Soul of New Phyrexia
*1 Steel Hellkite
*1 Stonecoil Serpent
*1 Suspicious Bookcase
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 All Is Dust
*1 Calamity of the Titans
*1 Rise of the Eldrazi
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Darksteel Monolith
*1 Dreamstone Hedron
*1 Endless Atlas
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Fireshrieker
*1 Forsaken Monument
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Investigator&#039;s Journal
*1 Kaldra Compleat
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mazemind Tome
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mirage Mirror
*1 Mystic Forge
*1 Perilous Vault
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Thran Dynamo
*1 Transmogrifying Wand
*1 Unstable Obelisk
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Desecrate Reality
*1 Not of This World
*1 Spatial Contortion
*1 Titan&#039;s Presence
*1 Warping Wail
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Ugin&#039;s Mastery
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Ugin, the Ineffable
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Lighthouse
*1 Arch of Orazca
*1 Blast Zone
*1 Bonders&#039; Enclave
*1 Eldrazi Temple
*1 Forge of Heroes
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Guildless Commons
*1 Mage-Ring Network
*1 Mirrorpool
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Ruins of Oran-Rief
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Sea Gate Wreckage
*1 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Tomb of the Spirit Dragon
*1 Tyrite Sanctum
*1 Urza&#039;s Mine
*1 Urza&#039;s Power Plant
*1 Urza&#039;s Tower
*1 War Room
*15 Wastes
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gotta Be Big</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zhulodok, Void Gorger"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This colorless monstrosity is led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zhulodok, Void Gorger" href="#" target="_blank">Zhulodok, Void Gorger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a 7/4 Eldrazi that gives our big spells Cascade twice. So we’re trying to get value out of casting our big mana spells, which unfortunately means we have to have a lot of them in the deck to function. The precon packs 15 spells with mana value seven or higher, plus a few X spells. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The backup commander doesn’t make things any easier. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omarthis, Ghostfire Initiate" href="#" target="_blank">Omarthis, Ghostfire Initiate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> costs XX and has power/toughness X, and gets a +1/+1 counters occasionally. Then some other stuff happens when Omarthis dies. But we’re not worrying about that, because we’d have to completely revamp the deck to make Omarthis work as the commander. Which we’re not doing. In fact, let’s just get this out of the way. Omarthis is getting cut. But we’ll talk more about that later.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The deck needs to go faster. But to do that, especially without spending a ton of money, we need to lower the mana curve, which means taking out some high-cost spells, which means triggering Zhulodok less often, which means less value. It’s a real tightrope we’re walking on here, reader. But I’m gonna do my best, because I just love you all so much. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gorging</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So let’s talk about the cards we’re adding. One thing the precon was lacking was cheap and efficient card draw. But since we’re colorless, we can’t get cheap and efficient without some kind of drawback. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eye of Vecna" href="#" target="_blank">Eye of Vecna</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can draw us an extra card every turn, but at the cost of life and mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zenith Chronicler" href="#" target="_blank">Zenith Chronicler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will also draw us a bunch of cards (your whole deck if you’re playing against <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aragorn, the Uniter" href="#" target="_blank">Aragorn, the Uniter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), but it’ll draw cards for your opponents as well.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eye of Vecna"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zenith Chronicler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lithoform Engine"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The precon had a bit of a copy sub-theme, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirage Mirror" href="#" target="_blank">Mirage Mirror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abstruse Archaic" href="#" target="_blank">Abstruse Archaic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so I thought we’d benefit from playing into that a little more. So in goes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lithoform Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Lithoform Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strionic Resonator" href="#" target="_blank">Strionic Resonator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both cards will require extra mana, but with all the triggered abilities in the deck, I think they’re going to be worth it. And for getting value from copying your opponents’ spells, we’re also adding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wandering Archaic" href="#" target="_blank">Wandering Archaic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Cuz sometimes we wanna <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> too, you know?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanctum of Ugin" href="#" target="_blank">Sanctum of Ugin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> just seems like a no-brainer, and a weird thing to exclude from the precon. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wondrous Crucible" href="#" target="_blank">Wondrous Crucible</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives our stuff some extra protection, while also getting us value out of the graveyard. And in the “I just think it’s neat” category, we’ve got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spectrum Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Spectrum Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Why? Cuz he’s gonna gain you a ton of life, and he can block multicolored creatures all day long.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wandering Archaic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wondrous Crucible"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spectrum Sentinel"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s eight cards added, and we only spent about $11.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Purging</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now it’s time to see what we’re cutting. If you read the Primer, you know that I was a bit miffed at the inclusion of X spells in this Cascade deck. So, you know what? They’re all gone. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endless One" href="#" target="_blank">Endless One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hangarback Walker" href="#" target="_blank">Hangarback Walker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stonecoil Serpent" href="#" target="_blank">Stonecoil Serpent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omarthis, Ghostfire Initiate" href="#" target="_blank">Omarthis, Ghostfire Initiate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All gone. See ya.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Omarthis, Ghostfire Initiate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Endless One"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hangarback Walker"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exiling everything leads to very unfun games. So <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Calamity of the Titans" href="#" target="_blank">Calamity of the Titans</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Perilous Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Perilous Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are getting the axe. And because the removal suite is still overstuffed even after these are taken out, I’m tossing out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Duplicant" href="#" target="_blank">Duplicant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as well.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And last up for the purge is one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wastes" href="#" target="_blank">Wastes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to make way for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanctum of Ugin" href="#" target="_blank">Sanctum of Ugin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Calamity of the Titans"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Perilous Vault"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Duplicant"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s the updated decklist:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Eldrazi Unbound Upgrade" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Zhulodok, Void Gorger
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Abstruse Archaic
*1 Ancient Stone Idol
*1 Artisan of Kozilek
*1 Bane of Bala Ged
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Crashing Drawbridge
*1 Endbringer
*1 Flayer of Loyalties
*1 Geode Golem
*1 It That Betrays
*1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion
*1 Matter Reshaper
*1 Metalwork Colossus
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Myriad Construct
*1 Oblivion Sower
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Palladium Myr
*1 Phyrexian Triniform
*1 Scaretiller
*1 Skittering Cicada
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Soul of New Phyrexia
*1 Spectrum Sentinel
*1 Steel Hellkite
*1 Suspicious Bookcase
*1 Wandering Archaic // Explore the Vastlands
*1 Zenith Chronicler
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Darksteel Monolith
*1 Dreamstone Hedron
*1 Endless Atlas
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Eye of Vecna
*1 Fireshrieker
*1 Forsaken Monument
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Investigator&#039;s Journal
*1 Kaldra Compleat
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Lithoform Engine
*1 Mazemind Tome
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mirage Mirror
*1 Mystic Forge
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Strionic Resonator
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Thran Dynamo
*1 Transmogrifying Wand
*1 Unstable Obelisk
*1 Wondrous Crucible
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 All Is Dust
*1 Rise of the Eldrazi
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Desecrate Reality
*1 Not of This World
*1 Spatial Contortion
*1 Titan&#039;s Presence
*1 Warping Wail
[/Instants]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Ugin, the Ineffable
[/Planeswalkers]
[Enchantments]
*1 Ugin&#039;s Mastery
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Lighthouse
*1 Arch of Orazca
*1 Blast Zone
*1 Bonders&#039; Enclave
*1 Eldrazi Temple
*1 Forge of Heroes
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Guildless Commons
*1 Mage-Ring Network
*1 Mirrorpool
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Ruins of Oran-Rief
*1 Sanctum of Ugin
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Sea Gate Wreckage
*1 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Tomb of the Spirit Dragon
*1 Tyrite Sanctum
*1 Urza&#039;s Mine
*1 Urza&#039;s Power Plant
*1 Urza&#039;s Tower
*1 War Room
*14 Wastes
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Big Spenders</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unsurprisingly, this deck is a lot easier to upgrade without a budget. With no restrictions, we can flesh out the land package with winners like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Tomb" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Tomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <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>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inventors’ Fair" href="#" target="_blank">Inventors’ Fair</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eye of Ugin" href="#" target="_blank">Eye of Ugin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Tomb"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Field of the Dead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eye of Ugin"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We can control what we Cascade into with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sensei’s Divining Top" href="#" target="_blank">Sensei’s Divining Top</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scroll Rack" href="#" target="_blank">Scroll Rack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We can protect our commander against pretty much everything with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Commander’s Plate" href="#" target="_blank">Commander’s Plate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We can make all of our artifacts way cheaper with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mycosynth Golem" href="#" target="_blank">Mycosynth Golem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sensei’s Divining Top"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Commander’s Plate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mycosynth Golem"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And we can even make a bunch of extra mana with Reserved List all-star <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metalworker" href="#" target="_blank">Metalworker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Look Into the Void</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Did we improve this deck? Hard to tell. By taking out the X spells, we actually raised the average mana value up to 4.74. That’s kinda the opposite direction from where we wanted to go, but we did add some more card draw and more ways to copy Zhulodok’s Cascade triggers. So the value is most definitely improved. Unfortunately, due to the nature of this deck, there’s almost no way to make it faster on a budget. But if you wanna throw in your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Crypt" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Crypt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, be my guest. You do you, my friends.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s it for Eldrazi Unbound! What did you think of this deck? Was I too harsh on it? Is it an overpriced lump of colorless junk? Hit me up in the comments and let me know. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Don’t forget to check out all of our other <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/scrap-trawlers/">precon guides</a>. And remember to budget…before you buy it.</span></p>


Eldrazi Unbound - Upgrade Guide

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meteor Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Meteor Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.olivierbernard-art.com/">Olivier Bernard</a></h6>
<h1>Brewing Xcitement</h1>
<p>Hello fellow brewer, and welcome back to <em>Brew for your Buck</em>, where we swap out the top 10 most expensive cards in a deck with 10 budget cards that add a unique twist. This time, I want to take a look at a deck I was toying around with last year but haven't pulled the trigger to build just yet. Gruul is a tough color combination for me to get excited about. Looking at the most popular themes for the color pair, none inspire me much besides <em>Landfall</em>, but I've already sold my soul to the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">almighty amphibian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I finally found some inspiration though when looking for a non-Izzet spellslinging commander:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wort, the Raidmother"></div></div>
<p>Wort asks for a deck with a balance of creatures and spells (not unlike our <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brew-for-your-buck-tap-down-flashback/">Katilda and Lier deck</a>), which can be difficult to do. Fortunately, her average list is filled with a bunch of spells that make creatures à la <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Because of this, we see a lot of token payoff with her, but yet another token deck is not very inspiring (at least not to me). The inspiring part is what those tokens do with Wort on the battlefield: copying our spells with <em>Conspire.</em> There are plenty of generically powerful spells to copy in the deck already, but this is <em>Brew for your Buck</em>! We want a <strong><em>theme</em></strong>, which you may have already guessed from my not-so-subtle title.</p>
<p>That's right, we're copying X spells. There are a few sprinkled in already, but we're going to really lean into them today. Once the X spell is on the stack, copying it means whatever the value of X is, essentially doubling your invested mana. Another bonus with this deck is that the original list only costs $151, so we have an excellent chance of getting it below $100.</p>
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Purphoros, God of the Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Purphoros, God of the Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($19.26)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($12.54)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awaken the Woods" href="#" target="_blank">Awaken the Woods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($11.71)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cryptolith Rite" href="#" target="_blank">Cryptolith Rite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($9.93)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primal Amulet" href="#" target="_blank">Primal Amulet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($8.79)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urabrask" href="#" target="_blank">Urabrask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($8.38)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Second Harvest" href="#" target="_blank">Second Harvest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($6.10)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vexing Shusher" href="#" target="_blank">Vexing Shusher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($4.68)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm-Kiln Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Storm-Kiln Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($4.06)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($4.00)</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
<p style="padding-left: 200px; text-align: left;"><strong>Total Value of Cuts: $89.45</strong></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stomping Ground" href="#" target="_blank">Stomping Ground</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the only land that would make this list, so swapping that out (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dwarven Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Dwarven Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.23) is a great option since it usually comes with a creature) brings our total savings to <strong>$98.66</strong>.</p>
<h2>Additions</h2>
<p>There are plenty of X spells in the game to add, and we've seen recent inklings of more support for the archetype outside of just <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rosheen Meanderer" href="#" target="_blank">Rosheen Meanderer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h3>Xtreme Weather</h3>
<p>One thing I quickly noticed about these X spells is that many of them depict natural disasters if not a full on e(x)tinction level event. We already have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Comet Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Comet Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so let's add its friends <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meteor Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Meteor Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.09) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meteor Blast" href="#" target="_blank">Meteor Blast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.28). Copying either with even a little bit invested into the X should kill pretty much any creatures or planeswalkers you need, and the latter can even hit players. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hurricane" href="#" target="_blank">Hurricane</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.20) is a classic, and cheesing out a win with a green burn spell (that you can copy) is even more hilarious. It won't hit any of our creatures or tokens since none of them have flying, but it <em>will</em> hit our life total, so pick your timing carefully unless you want to draw the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meteor Swarm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meteor Blast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hurricane"></div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Xtra Value</h3>
<p>This deck e(x)cels at trading up on resources, generating effective card advantage by copying spells with many targets. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="By Force" href="#" target="_blank">By Force</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.56) is my favorite budget replacement for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vandalblast" href="#" target="_blank">Vandalblast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it gets even better here. There are always artifacts lying around, and picking off the critical ones can go along way to furthering your gameplan or currying some political favor with the rest of the table. Besides <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Regrowth" href="#" target="_blank">Regrowth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this deck has basically no recursion, something I always want more of in my decks. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reap the Past" href="#" target="_blank">Reap the Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.34) is not ideal for grabbing something specific out of your graveyard, but once copied it does a pretty good impression of drawing you a fresh hand.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="By Force"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reap the Past"></div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>Xponential Tokens</strong></h3>
<p>While we're focused on X spells for our budget package, we can't ignore the fact that our token generation is also integral to the deck's plan. We already have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arasta of the Endless Web" href="#" target="_blank">Arasta</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so we can add essentially another copy with our "not exactly budget" card: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonlair Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonlair Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($3.04). Why make tokens ourselves when our opponents can do the work for us? The Spider is a red AND green creature, which are high value since they don't limit spells we can <em>Conspire</em>. We also get <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tears of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Tears of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.14), a relatively unknown instant that screams alpha strike. Swing with all but two of your creatures, cast and copy it, and kill the table before the end step trigger even happens. It also has an X in the rules text so it kind of counts for the theme.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragonlair Spider"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tears of Rage"></div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>Mana Xcceleration</strong></h3>
<p>We'll wrap up with some ways to generate more mana. After all, we have a six mana commander and we want to dump as much value into the X on all of these spells as possible. An obvious addition is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nexos" href="#" target="_blank">Nexos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.33), a creature from the <em>Warhammer 40k</em> decks that goes well with our mana base full of basic lands. In the same vein, Elementalist's Palette ($1.61) is another obvious inclusion here, helping us amplify successive X spells in later turns. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animist&#039;s Awakening" href="#" target="_blank">Animist&#039;s Awakening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($1.14) goes perfectly here too, dumping a ton of lands onto the battlefield, and with so many instants and sorceries in the deck, we'll easily turn on <em>Spell Mastery</em> and get to untap them as well.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nexos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elementalist&#039;s Palette"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Animist&#039;s Awakening"></div></div>
<h3></h3>
<h2>Wrap Up and Savings</h2>
<p>Let's e(x)amine what we saved:</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Picture1.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-101450 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Picture1.png" alt="" width="413" height="305" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Picture1.png 355w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Picture1-300x221.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 413px) 100vw, 413px" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>As e(x)pected, we dropped the deck down to way under $100. One gameplay note: copying the spells with <em>Conspire</em> doesn't cast them, so your <em>Storm</em> cards are not going to get better the more spells you copy in a turn. However, if you use <em>Conspire</em> to copy the original <em>Storm</em> spell, that will work the way you want it to, essentially doubling the <em>Storm</em> count without having to cast anything.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="X Gonna Give it to Ya" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Wort, the Raidmother
[/Commander]
[Sorceries]
*1 Animist&#039;s Awakening
*1 By Force
*1 Cathartic Reunion
*1 Chatterstorm
*1 Cultivate
*1 Dragon Fodder
*1 Empty the Warrens
*1 Escape to the Wilds
*1 Harmonize
*1 Harvest Season
*1 Hordeling Outburst
*1 Hurricane
*1 Jaya&#039;s Immolating Inferno
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Krenko&#039;s Command
*1 Mana Geyser
*1 Meteor Blast
*1 Meteor Swarm
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Open the Way
*1 Ral&#039;s Reinforcements
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Reap the Past
*1 Regrowth
*1 Seize the Spoils
*1 Shamanic Revelation
*1 Titania&#039;s Command
*1 Tormenting Voice
*1 Wrenn&#039;s Resolve
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Arasta of the Endless Web
*1 Avenger of Zendikar
*1 Dragonlair Spider
*1 Dualcaster Mage
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Fyndhorn Elves
*1 Goblin Anarchomancer
*1 Guttersnipe
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Nexos
*1 Siege-Gang Commander
*1 Young Pyromancer
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Elementalist&#039;s Palette
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Twinning Staff
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Artifact Mutation
*1 Battle Hymn
*1 Beast Within
*1 Big Score
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Comet Storm
*1 Display of Power
*1 Harrow
*1 Increasing Vengeance
*1 Manamorphose
*1 Reverberate
*1 Seething Song
*1 Tears of Rage
*1 Thrill of Possibility
*1 Unexpected Windfall
*1 You See a Pair of Goblins
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 City on Fire
*1 Double Vision
*1 Impact Tremors
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Xenagos, the Reveler
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*9 Forest
*1 Gruul Turf
*1 Khalni Garden
*14 Mountain
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rockfall Vale
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Temple of Abandon
*1 Wooded Ridgeline
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>I'd love to hear from you about the deck! Are there any cool X spells I missed? Should we build a deck based around natural disasters? Any secret spell copying tech we should add? Let me know in the comments, and I'll see you next time when we brew for your buck!</p>
<p>Follow me on Twitter @BrewForYourBuck</p>
<p><em>Please note: card prices listed in this article are accurate at the time of writing, but prices can vary over time and between locations.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


Brew For Your Buck - X Gonna Give it to Ya

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/unf/527/space-beleren">Space Beleren</a> | Art by <a href="https://artofscooter.com/">Scooter</a>)</h6>
<h1>W<span style="font-size: 12pt;">ould</span> U let me be your commander?</h1>
<p>The question of planeswalkers as commanders has been brought up in <em>Magic</em> discourse an infinite number of times. People say it would kill EDH as a format, and others say it will do nothing but give more options to an endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the seventh installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover Azorius (blue, white) cards and how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card singleton format.</p>
<p>If you have stuck around with me till this article, then you know what cards to look out for in this color combination. If not, check out the individual articles I did on both <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander/">white</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-blue-pt-1/">blue</a> to see the cards I've shouted out before in these colors.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dovin, Architect of Law" href="#" target="_blank">Dovin, Architect of Law</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong> - 4WU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dovin, Architect of Law"></div></div>
<p>This is one of the better Planeswalker Deck planeswalkers that we have seen up till this point. It does cost six mana, but it has abilities you want to see on a planeswalker, especially in these colors. Drawing cards, gaining life, and locking down a single creature or an entire opponent's board gives you a lot of decisions. I would not be embarrassed to have this as my commander, but I feel this would be an annoying and tiresome deck to play against. Dovin would be very good friends with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Prison" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Prison</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Propaganda" href="#" target="_blank">Propaganda</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dovin Baan" href="#" target="_blank">Dovin Baan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2WU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dovin Baan"></div></div>
<p>Similar to one of his other versions, Baan would be a very serviceable planeswalker to lead a deck. The tradeoff for this Dovin is less mana to cast, but less starting loyalty. A bonus is the "lockdown" ability, which is a +1 this time. I think this Dovin is better since if you are able to ultimate this, you get a one-sided <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sadly, counter-doubling cards paired with Planeswalkers do not get you an immediate ultimate, but in UW (blue, white) there are plenty of ways to make it to one more turn around the table.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dovin, Hand of Control" href="#" target="_blank">Dovin, Hand of Control</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2W </strong>or <strong>2U</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dovin, Hand of Control"></div></div>
<p>A fitting name since most of the cards that end up in your opponent's hand are going to be stranded there thanks to Dovin. I think the passive ability on this card is why you would want to run it in your command zone. Doing their best impression of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Arbiter Augustin IV" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Arbiter Augustin IV</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this would be a similar style of deck.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset Transcendent" href="#" target="_blank">Narset Transcendent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2WU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Narset Transcendent"></div></div>
<p>This card is a powerhouse planeswalker. Only four mana and a massive six loyalty to start out with is crazy. Narset features a +1 that lets you get the top card off your deck more often than not (as long as you build right) and a -2 that can make a good spell great by letting you cast it the next turn, thanks to rebound. I have gotten this card to ultimate before, and it is one of the most guaranteed ways to end a game. Locking your opponents to only casting creatures when you have a UW deck, a color combination known for dealing with creatures as its favorite pastime, does not look good for your opponents. I would imagine this card would see a big uptick in play if it were legal to lead a deck.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niko Aris" href="#" target="_blank">Niko Aris</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- XWUU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Niko Aris"></div></div>
<p>One of the most interesting planeswalkers out there and one of the hardest to evaluate. I have talked before about planeswalkers with abilities that do not mesh together to form a game plan. Niko suffers from this same idea. There are a lot of things that can be done with this card. You can reuse enter-the battlefield (ETB) triggers with its +1, make tokens off its cast and its -1, and kill a tapped creature if you draw the right amount of cards. Unless you can find a way to maximize the Shard tokens this card can make, you're going to run this card because you like the character more than the abilities they were given.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Space Beleren" href="#" target="_blank">Space Beleren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2WU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Space Beleren"></div></div>
<p>I know what you are going to say. "Nick, this is an un-card; why are you wasting our time with it?" Because the card is legal in the format and, honestly, might be super fun as a commander. This card does something unique by dividing the battlefield into three zones and then having its abilities do things to zones of your choice. Thoughts on un-cards aside, I think this would be a very interesting UW creatures-matter commander, and that is not something often seen in these colors. Bonus if you want to get really weird with this card and slap <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Luxior, Giada&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Luxior, Giada&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on it.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Hero of Dominaria" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Hero of Dominaria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 3WU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi, Hero of Dominaria"></div></div>
<p>Strong. Dominant. Format defining. Hated. These words are often used to describe Teferi, and this card is one of the reasons why. One of the most UW cards to ever exist. A +1 that can draw you into action and give you the mana to cast it or untap a utility land. A minus ability that is both removal and a way people have avoided milling out on their path to victory. Finally, one of the most back-breaking ultimates ever. A guaranteed commander if it was legal, and a very good one at that.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Timebender" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Timebender</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 4WU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi, Timebender"></div></div>
<p>So Azorius cards might have gotten the "best" Planeswalker Deck planeswalkers we have seen so far. Much like the first card in this article, six mana is up there in cost, but this card is all about gaining you advantage. The ability to untap an artifact and a creature can lead to all forms of combo potential. Any card that can let you take an extra turn is always viable, so having that out of the command zone is welcomed.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Time Raveler" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Time Raveler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 1WU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi, Time Raveler"></div></div>
<p>One of the best passive abilities ever seen on a planeswalker. This is also a callback to his non-planeswalker version <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Another callback is the ability this card has to let you cast sorceries at instant speed, and if you have never cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> during your opponent's combat step, you have never lived. The -3 does put this card into the danger zone of dying to a stiff breeze, but bouncing almost any nonland permanent you or an opponent has and drawing a card is often worth it. If all of this was not good enough, three mana makes this card come down early and lets you possibly have it come down often.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2WU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset"></div></div>
<p>I underrated this card when it first came out. I looked at the words on this card and laughed. Then I got smashed by this card in 1v1 formats and realized sometimes I am bad at magic. This Teferi is a solid roleplayer type of card. Untapping three different cards you control (or tapping three of your opponent's cards) and gaining two life on a +1 lets Teferi stay on the board for a long time. Getting to have the best of your top three cards and clear unwanted cards allows for a lot of selection. Now, the ultimate on this card does not look "game-winning", but there is a reason that cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the banned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prophet of Kruphix" href="#" target="_blank">Prophet of Kruphix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are/were considered must-kill threats by many. The benefit to Teferi is that if you get to its -7, you get an emblem, which cannot be killed. Plus, unlike Seedborn and Prophet, you get to draw a card as well. This card slows sunsets and slows down Commander pods when it gets to lead a deck.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venser, the Sojourner" href="#" target="_blank">Venser, the Sojourner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 3WU</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Venser, the Sojourner"></div></div>
<p>The reason that Karn is able to planeswalk. Lore aside, I have always liked this card, and I will defend myself and say it is with good reason. This is often seen in blink decks thanks to its +2 ability. Like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Space Beleren" href="#" target="_blank">Space</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this is another UW planeswalker that cares about creatures. Low loyalty and a five-mana value casting cost makes getting to the -8 emblem tricky but rewarding, since you are almost certain to win the game when every spell you cast comes with a free exile. The first two abilities look strange on the same card, but I will say that designers were playing the long game knowing that Venser was just waiting to get a hold of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Luxior, Giada&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Luxior, Giada&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or to get animated with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sarkhan the Masterless" href="#" target="_blank">Sarkhan the Masterless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>alongside other planeswalker friends. They gave Venser the ability to grant unblockable, I suspect, with the knowledge of foresight. Another potential option for a blink commander or another option of the ever-growing UW creatures-matter archetype being discovered in this article.</p>
<hr />
<h3><strong>Wrap Up</strong></h3>
<p>Azorius has a reputation for being a hard-control color combination in the game. Years of counterspells and wrath effects preventing players prone to entering the combat step pull their hair out in disgust at what is sitting across the table from them. The planeswalkers available in this color combination do not shy away from this fully, but they might tone it down a bit. Would <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Time Raveler" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Time Raveler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> need to be banned? What about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset Transcendent" href="#" target="_blank">Narset Transcendent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Anything is possible, after all.</p>
<p>I think these cards would fit into the same realm as many of the currently available commanders in this color. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Arbiter Augustin IV" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Arbiter Augustin IV</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lavinia, Azorius Renegade" href="#" target="_blank">Lavinia, Azorius Renegade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> certainly could be argued as more oppressive than anything in the list above, but the majority does not seem to be calling for either of those cards' heads. Many of these cards would be strong, and there would be people who would build a deck with them. However, the vast majority of players will all, without talking to one another, decide they would rather not build decks around these cards, much like many of the overpowered options in Commander out there.</p>
<p>Azorius aside, join me with my next article, where we go over the sneakiest of all the two-color combinations: Dimir.</p>


Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Azorius)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eowyn, Shieldmaiden" href="#" target="_blank">Eowyn, Shieldmaiden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/elliott">Craig Elliott</a>)</h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello all! I'm Bert from the Scrap Trawlers, where we do EDH on a budget. Today we're taking a look at the Riders of Rohan precon from the Tales of Middle-earth Commander decks. Our face commander this time around is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eowyn, Shieldmaiden" href="#" target="_blank">Eowyn, Shieldmaiden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, placing us in the Human archetype. Let’s do what we always do and go over how the deck plays, the strengths and weaknesses, and which new and reprinted cards are going to be worth looking at. Let’s Ride!</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inspiring Leader</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eowyn, Shieldmaiden"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So taking a look at our face commander again, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eowyn, Shieldmaiden" href="#" target="_blank">Eowyn, Shieldmaiden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a five mana Jeskai commander that provides us with some Human synergies. She provides us with incentive to play a Human before combat so that we create even more creatures and maybe even draw a card. It may only trigger once per turn, but this effect is something to be reckoned with in the span of a game. Eowyn wants some quality Humans that will trigger her ability and provide support for the tokens that she's creating. Army in a can doesn’t even do her justice with the amount of tokens that she can create. With all this in mind, let’s take a look at the list.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> <div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Riders of Rohan" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Éowyn, Shieldmaiden
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Aragorn, King of Gondor
*1 Archivist of Gondor
*1 Bastion Protector
*1 Beregond of the Guard
*1 Boromir, Gondor&#039;s Hope
*1 Champions of Minas Tirith
*1 Combat Celebrant
*1 Dearly Departed
*1 Denethor, Stone Seer
*1 Erkenbrand, Lord of Westfold
*1 Faramir, Steward of Gondor
*1 Fiend Hunter
*1 Flamerush Rider
*1 Frontier Warmonger
*1 Frontline Medic
*1 Gilraen, Dúnedain Protector
*1 Gimli of the Glittering Caves
*1 Grey Host Reinforcements
*1 Harsh Mentor
*1 Humble Defector
*1 Lossarnach Captain
*1 Palace Jailer
*1 Prince Imrahil the Fair
*1 Riders of Rohan
*1 Selfless Squire
*1 Théoden, King of Rohan
*1 Verge Rangers
*1 Village Bell-Ringer
*1 Weathered Wayfarer
*1 Zealous Conscripts
*1 Éomer, King of Rohan
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Banishing Light
*1 Court of Ire
*1 Fealty to the Realm
*1 Marshal&#039;s Anthem
*1 Oath of Eorl
*1 Shared Animosity
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Crown of Gondor
*1 Door of Destinies
*1 Heirloom Blade
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Call for Aid
*1 Earthquake
*1 Forth Eorlingas!
*1 Increasing Devotion
*1 Sunset Revelry
*1 Supreme Verdict
*1 Taunt from the Rampart
*1 Visions of Glory
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Lost to Legend
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Unbreakable Formation
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Field of Ruin
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*1 Glacial Fortress
*5 Island
*5 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*9 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Throne of the High City
*1 Tranquil Cove
*1 Wind-Scarred Crag
*1 Windbrisk Heights
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the list in front of us, I believe we have a good shell for a Humans deck that has the capacity to create creatures and increase our board state to the point where it will be a problem for our opponents. We not only accomplish this by the power of our commander, but also with the value creatures throughout the deck. Before we get to specifics though, let’s take a look and see where our deck excels!</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kindred Charge</span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Riders of Rohan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Weathered Wayfarer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faramir, Steward of Gondor"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This time around we are an aggro deck that aims to swarm the board with Humans and power them up to stampede over our opponents. The average mana value makes me pretty happy sitting at a nice 3.31 out of the box. This means that after turn three we have a pretty high chance of us playing out our creatures, and with 31 of them in our deck (28 of them being Humans), we're set up for a great time with our commander.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So how are the vitals of the deck? Well, in the ramp department we're looking pretty healthy sitting at eight ramp sources, one being a synergistic Human, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Weathered Wayfarer" href="#" target="_blank">Weathered Wayfarer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This is a good starting point for ramp and means that we'll have an easier time casting not only our commander, but also those value Humans littered throughout the deck. The deck also has a couple of board wipes, one of which is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Supreme Verdict" href="#" target="_blank">Supreme Verdict</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a solid unconditional way to rid the board of creatures.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Overall I'm pretty happy with the state of the deck, but where are some places the deck needs help? What it really needs is that good old card draw. I feel conflicted about this because out of the box we have a number of Monarch cards that allow us to draw that extra card at the end of our turn. However, it's always my goal to have unconditional card draw that will give us cards no matter what. There will be times where we are unable to reliably hold the Monarch and that will make it tough for us to get that extra card per turn. There's even card draw on our commander if we have a staggering six Humans on the field, which in this deck should be pretty routine. But, call me greedy, I say we need more card draw. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher’s banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher’s banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is included, which is a great start, but it's not quite enough. That's actually the only “problem” that I have with the deck, so let's move on to talk about some of those fancy new commander cards that were printed for this deck, shall we? </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fresh-Faced Recruits &amp; Veteran Soldiers </span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With there being so many new cards, let's go over the ones that I feel will be seen throughout the format. We can’t get too far into this section without talking about our alternate commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aragorn, King of Gondor" href="#" target="_blank">Aragorn, King of Gondor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a four mana 4/4 with vigilance and lifelink. He makes you the Monarch when he enters and his third line of text makes it harder for your opponents to block, or makes them unable to block at all if you're the Monarch.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aragorn, King of Gondor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oath of Eorl"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Combat Celebrant"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Saga <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oath of Eorl" href="#" target="_blank">Oath of Eorl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also a power house in this deck, making a total of four creatures for five mana and making a Human (hopefully our commander) indestructible. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Riders of Rohan" href="#" target="_blank">Riders of Rohan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also a powerful card due to it having the Dash ability, making it almost a modular spell where you have to decide which “mode” you're going to cast it in. Using the Dash mechanic makes it so that you can accumulate more power over time, or if you just need it then and there you can cast it for its normal cost.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forth Eorlingas!" href="#" target="_blank">Forth Eorlingas!</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of my favorite cards in the deck. It gives us a way to create a board state, but also gives us incentive to attack so that we can get access to the Monarch. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Theoden, King of Rohan" href="#" target="_blank">Theoden, King of Rohan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seems strong for an uncommon. So long as a Human enters the battlefield he'll be able to give double strike to a creature we control. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Call for Aid" href="#" target="_blank">Call for Aid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a cute card, but not one of my favorites. It definitely has the power to swing a game into our favor, but we can’t attack the player whose creatures we stole, so that makes winning with it a lot more difficult. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Theoden, King of Rohan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Call for Aid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forth Eorlingas!"></div></div></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With new cards comes reprints of old ones. Our deck didn't win the lottery in the reprint department, but we definitely have some solid ones. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Combat Celebrant" href="#" target="_blank">Combat Celebrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card that I'm excited to see, especially in a deck where it can shine. An additional combat in this deck may be that extra push that we need to win. It being a 4/1 can be a bit of a detriment at times, however we are in a Human deck with a ton of synergies, so I imagine that it'll live for longer than we think. Another reprint that I'm happy to see is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Supreme Verdict" href="#" target="_blank">Supreme Verdict</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is just a clean and efficient board wipe. There's also the awesome reprint of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher&#039;s Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher&#039;s Banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which I mentioned earlier but is still nice to see in the reprint department! I talked about ways to power up our Humans and a prime example of that is the card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Door of Destinies" href="#" target="_blank">Door of Destinies</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The more Humans we cast, the stronger our humans get and this is the way we want our deck to play. There are also a ton of cheaper reprints with a couple of my favorites being <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Weathered Wayfarer" href="#" target="_blank">Weathered Wayfarer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talisman of Progress" href="#" target="_blank">Talisman of Progress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clifftop Retreat" href="#" target="_blank">Clifftop Retreat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Final Thoughts</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Riders of Rohan deck is my favorite precon in a while. So much so that I believe that I'll build a budget version of it for myself. The deck is very cohesive and has synergies including room for you to add some of those of your own. I love the deck, be sure to let me know what <em>you</em> think of it in the comments! Come back next time so we can go over some <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/riders-of-rohan-upgrade-guide/">upgrades for the deck</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Make sure to check back for more precon guides from us Scrap Trawlers. The other Trawlers are coming up with the guides for the other decks, so be sure to check them out. You can also check out our budget content over on </span><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Twitch</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">YouTube</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and follow us on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>


Riders of Rohan - Precon Primer

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/m21/279/ugin-the-spirit-dragon">Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</a> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CRyan+Pancoast%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Ryan Pancoast</a>)</h6>
<h1><em>Magic</em>'s Secret Sixth Color <span style="font-family: wingdings, 'zapf dingbats';">Colorless</span></h1>
<p>The question of planeswalkers as commanders has been brought up in the <em>Magic</em> discourse an infinite number of times. People say it would kill EDH as a format, and others say it will do nothing but give more options to an endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the sixth installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover colorless cards and how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card singleton format.</p>
<p>A quick disclaimer for this article: while there might not be many colorless planeswalkers, they all lead to running a deck heavy on artifacts. This means cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Chain Veil" href="#" target="_blank">The Chain Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strionic Resonator" href="#" target="_blank">Strionic Resonator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lithoform Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Lithoform Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are often treated as auto-includes in decks of this type.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn Liberated" href="#" target="_blank">Karn Liberated</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 7 mana</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karn Liberated"></div></div>
<p>The answer to the math question of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> + <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> +<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Power Plant" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Power Plant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. A powerful card in 1v1 formats of <em>Magic</em> and most likely the card with the greatest likelihood of putting a target on your head if you played it as your commander. Both from an opponent's hand and from the field, exile is great removal, and if you tick this card up, the ten loyalty is tough to get through; restarting a Commander game is the best way to not get invited back to Commander night.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn, Living Legacy" href="#" target="_blank">Karn, Living Legacy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 4 mana</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karn, Living Legacy"></div></div>
<p>Not only is this the worst of the Karn Planeswalkers, but it is also the worst of the four-mana Karn planeswalkers. This card has seen no play in its current Standard life in any meaningful deck, and the only reason I would want this in or in charge of a deck is if I can get a quick ultimate them for a slightly better <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghirapur Aether Grid" href="#" target="_blank">Ghirapur Aether Grid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If the +1 made an untapped Powerstone, this card would be pretty sick as just a great form of artifact ramp every turn. This card needs too many pieces to make it work, and the other four-mana versions are much better.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn, Scion of Urza" href="#" target="_blank">Karn, Scion of Urza</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 4 mana</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karn, Scion of Urza"></div></div>
<p>Colorless card selection plus a great design overall. It does almost everything you could hope for from a colorless card. Depending on the situation, it gives you multiple options and can create sizeable blockers or attackers. The only thing holding this card back is the mandatory turn delay and loyalty counter tax for exiled cards.</p>
<p>An interesting fact to remember is that you can access all the cards exiled with silver counters for the rest of the game. This Karn might also make the scariest token in the game going right now in Construct tokens. Every token this card makes can quickly outclass many of the creatures on the other side of the board.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn, the Great Creator" href="#" target="_blank">Karn, the Great Creator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 4 mana</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karn, the Great Creator"></div></div>
<p>Please never let this be a commander. This could be the best possible play from the command zone with four mana in a wide variety of situations. You don't often see this card because its static is exceptionally mean to all the other players at the table. Not everyone plays green, so many decks rely on artifact mana to ramp them into more significant plays. If you've ever had to play while someone has <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stony Silence" href="#" target="_blank">Stony Silence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the battlefield or if you have played with this card and its table lock combo piece, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mycosynth Lattice" href="#" target="_blank">Mycosynth Lattice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you'll know the pain of staring at your cards and not being able to do anything with them.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, the Ineffable" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, the Ineffable</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 6 mana</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ugin, the Ineffable"></div></div>
<p>People often consider <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis Reignited" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis Reignited</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> the cookie-cutter planeswalker design. It has card draw, removal, and an ultimate that should win the game. While this Ugin does not have an ultimate (thanks to <em>War of the Spark</em>), it does have card draw and removal. The new addition that Ugin brings to the table is the two-mana cost reduction on colorless spells, so if you're following along, reader, this is every card in your deck except your lands. I'm unsure how strong this cards would truly be if I'm honest with you. Would it help you combo fast in a colorless deck? Yes. Would it help you do that truly faster than playing anything else in the entire format? Not sure without really crunching the numbers.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, the Spirit Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 8 mana</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ugin, the Spirit Dragon"></div></div>
<p>The biggest and baddest colorless dragon of all time. Even in a deck full of colorless mana rocks and trying to do nothing but ramp, this card is not coming down so far ahead of the curve that it cannot be dealt with. On the flip side, this cards can keep the board empty for a long time. Tokens don't stand a chance against this card. All nonland permanents don't stand a chance against this card unless they cost eight mana and got played before you could cast this. Not to mention if you're able to ultimate this card, gaining seven life, drawing seven cards, and just slamming down seven permanents onto the battlefield is absurd value. The eight mana is the thing that holds this card back from just ruining games, but I would get pretty annoyed seeing this card with any form of consistency.</p>
<p><strong>Wrap Up</strong></p>
<p>So, the secret sixth color in <em>Magic</em> might not bring a lot in terms of options, and most of these decks will look very similar unless someone puts an extreme amount of effort into not making it look the same. Usually, these cards are balanced because they cost a higher amount of mana or are a little bit above medium rate since they can be played in any deck. Some of this gets thrown out the window when you bring these to head up a deck with them. You might not be able to use the tutoring effect to get something from your sideboard, but you can reclaim pieces from exile, and turning off everyone's mana rocks will make your playgroup ask you to leave the table. I will say <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn, the Great Creator" href="#" target="_blank">Karn, the Great Creator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would need to go.</p>
<p>I've realized that, so far, six articles into this series, from my point of view, planeswalkers should be allowed to be commanders. Are there problems with some of the cards? Yes. Are these problems any worse than some other commanders already permitted in the format? No. My opinion might change once I dive into the multicolored planeswalkers, but at this moment in time, in this year of our Lord 2023, and in my heart of hearts, I ask people to try these out in Commander, get people talking about it, and free these 'walkers from the shackles of the 99.</p>


Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Colorless)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gimbal, Gremlin Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Gimbal, Gremlin Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/fajareka">Fajareka Setiawan</a>)</h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello again everyone! I’m Bert from the Scrap Trawlers channel, where we do EDH on a budget. Last time we showed off the new <em>Tinker Time</em> deck from <em>March of the Machine</em>, so now we're back to give that deck some upgrades so it can work to its full potential. So that we can go over the upgrades properly let's take a look at the decklist and talk about the areas that we want to improve upon. Here is the list:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Tinker Time Precon" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Gimbal, Gremlin Prodigy
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Academy Manufactor
*1 Cutthroat Negotiator
*1 Everquill Phoenix
*1 Feldon of the Third Path
*1 Gilded Goose
*1 Hedron Detonator
*1 Hellkite Igniter
*1 Junk Winder
*1 Master of Etherium
*1 Pain Distributor
*1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
*1 Rashmi and Ragavan
*1 Sandsteppe War Riders
*1 Schema Thief
*1 Sharding Sphinx
*1 Shimmer Dragon
*1 Thopter Assembly
*1 Tireless Provisioner
*1 Tireless Tracker
*1 Vedalken Humiliator
*1 Whirler Rogue
*1 Workshop Elders
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Bloodforged Battle-Axe
*1 Combine Chrysalis
*1 Fractured Powerstone
*1 Gruul Signet
*1 Ichor Elixir
*1 Inspiring Statuary
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Replicating Ring
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Skyclave Relic
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Spine of Ish Sah
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Brass&#039;s Bounty
*1 Crack Open
*1 Dance with Calamity
*1 Echo Storm
*1 Fiery Confluence
*1 Path of the Animist
*1 Reverse Engineer
*1 Rise and Shine
*1 Root Out
*1 Saheeli&#039;s Artistry
*1 Thoughtcast
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Masterful Replication
*1 Perplexing Test
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Spell Swindle
*1 Stroke of Genius
*1 Struggle // Survive
*1 Vampires&#039; Vengeance
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Aid from the Cowl
*1 Curse of Opulence
*1 Ghirapur Aether Grid
*1 Imprisoned in the Moon
*1 Thopter Spy Network
*1 Weirding Wood
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
[/Planeswalkers]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*7 Forest
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Game Trail
*8 Island
*8 Mountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Temple of Abandon
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Mystery
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Vineglimmer Snarl
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Welcome to the Tinker Shop!</span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gimbal, Gremlin Prodigy"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before we get into the upgrades portion of the article, let's first recall our face commander <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gimbal, Gremlin Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Gimbal, Gremlin Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Gimbal gives us an unique take on both the Temur color group and the artifact strategy. Gimbal is Temur (red, green, blue) and two colorless for a Gremlin Artificer that cares about artifact creatures and artifact tokens with different names. This gives us a few ways we can build the deck. I plan on taking some good value artifact creatures to create a board state where we can be able to create our artifact tokens in peace. Gimbal looks to want to play as a midrange deck, so this fits in the plan that I have made for the deck. Lets get started, shall we?</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What's New on Gimbal’s Menu</span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rose Room Treasurer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mythos of Illuna"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="March of Progress"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just like always, we want to shore up some of the weak sides of our precon. To do that we'll be adding cards to increase our overall card draw and ramp, and increase the overall synergy of the deck. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let's get started with some ramp, shall we?</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> I only wanted to add a couple of cards, as we already have a few ramp spells and Treasure production. For some additional Treasures, here is a pet card of mine: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rose Room Treasurer" href="#" target="_blank">Rose Room Treasurer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Alliance is a powerful ability that triggers on each creature entering our battlefield, including token creatures. It’s a four mana spell and not <em>true</em> ramp, but we add to the overall mana production of the deck. Some actual mana rocks I'm adding are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liquimetal Torque" href="#" target="_blank">Liquimetal Torque</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>,<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cursed Mirror" href="#" target="_blank">Cursed Mirror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind stone" href="#" target="_blank">Mind stone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Out of these cards, Liquimetal Torque is my favorite, as it sets up some really good plays with our deck, allowing us to give something trample through Gimbal, or make a copy of something we normally wouldn't be able to. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next I have some cards that will add to our overall draw package. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cathartic Pyre" href="#" target="_blank">Cathartic Pyre</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chart a Course" href="#" target="_blank">Chart a Course</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Big Score" href="#" target="_blank">Big Score</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are just some simple card draw options that'll give us value throughout the entire game with Cathartic Pyre and Big Score providing secondary effects. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thought Monitor" href="#" target="_blank">Thought Monitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> being an artifact creature means copy it and power it up with some of our other cards we're adding. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Idol of Oblivion" href="#" target="_blank">Idol of Oblivion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another pet card of mine, but it will definitely draw you a bunch of extra cards over the game. </span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Idol of Oblivion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arterial Alchemy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chart a Course"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly we have some cards that will just add to the overall synergies of the deck. To add to our token productions, I've added two cards to get a bit more Blood flowing. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arterial Alchemy" href="#" target="_blank">Arterial Alchemy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Olivia’s Attendants" href="#" target="_blank">Olivia’s Attendants</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give us access to Blood, which makes our draws a bit smoother while also increasing our token production for Gimbal’s ability.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I felt the deck could do with a few more cards that make it easier to make copies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="March of Progress" href="#" target="_blank">March of Progress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mythos of Illuna" href="#" target="_blank">Mythos of Illuna</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skitterbeam Battalion" href="#" target="_blank">Skitterbeam Battalion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sicarian Infiltrator" href="#" target="_blank">Sicarian Infiltrator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> do that and then more! For a spicy pick I even added <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fae Offering" href="#" target="_blank">Fae Offering</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for some additional token creation.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Picky Eater</span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Workshop Elders"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dance with Calamity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Path of the Animist"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gimbal’s menu needs a bit of refinement, so we have a few cards to cut. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ichor Elixir" href="#" target="_blank">Ichor Elixir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fractured Powerstone" href="#" target="_blank">Fractured Powerstone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have been cut for some of the ramp that was mentioned earlier. However, if you and your friends have an inkling to play Planechase, keep them in so you can get those rolls.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Also cut from the deck are the super expensive cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Workshop Elders" href="#" target="_blank">Workshop Elders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dance with Calamity" href="#" target="_blank">Dance with Calamity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brass’s Bounty" href="#" target="_blank">Brass’s Bounty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, just to make our curve a bit smoother. Super niche cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Path of the Animist" href="#" target="_blank">Path of the Animist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Weirding Wood" href="#" target="_blank">Weirding Wood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aid from the Cowl" href="#" target="_blank">Aid from the Cowl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everquill Phoenix" href="#" target="_blank">Everquill Phoenix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have also been cut to add space for some synergistic cards that will give us a bit more staying power. Path of the Animist does a great impression of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Explosive Vegetation" href="#" target="_blank">Explosive Vegetation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but since the focus of the card is mainly Planechase, we can cut it. Both Weirding Wood and Everquill Phoenix are present in the deck so that they can create their unique tokens, but they seem like a bit of a deep dive and can be replaced with something that meshes with the deck more. Aid from the Cowl seems a bit random to me, so I went ahead and cut it so that we can make space for more goodness.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When we make cuts like these, it's important to keep in mind that you can keep cards that you like and find another cut somewhere else. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exquisite Taste</span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faerie Artisans"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wurmcoil engine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adrix and Nev, Twincasters"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here we'll go over some cards that aren't included in my modified list due to their price points, but will power up your Gimbal deck to new heights. The first and by far one of my favorites is going to be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faerie Artisans" href="#" target="_blank">Faerie Artisans</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This little gem will create an artifact token copy of whatever creature last entered the battlefield under our opponents' control. Faerie Artisans not only makes our opponent sequence their plays so that we end up with a weaker creature, but also gives us another artifact token for Gimbal to count. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another awesome card that we can include is going to be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wurmcoil Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Wurmcoil Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. A solid six mana 6/6 that has deathtouch and lifelink that will make two Wurm artifact creature tokens on death, this is just more of what we want. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adrix and Nev, Twincasters" href="#" target="_blank">Adrix and Nev, Twincasters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will also take us to new heights being a hard to remove token doubler that helps us create a stronger board state. Last but certainly not least we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Old Gnawbone" href="#" target="_blank">Old Gnawbone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> which is just absurd in a deck like this. We care about the number of different tokens that get created but we also need mana to cast spells, and we have the creatures to get through to our opponents. Having this monstrous Dragon on our side is going to make a huge difference in our token creation, and I am here for every bit of it.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finished Product</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well here is our modified list:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Tinker Time Precon Upgrade" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gimbal, Gremlin Prodigy
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Academy Manufactor
*1 Cutthroat Negotiator
*1 Feldon of the Third Path
*1 Gilded Goose
*1 Junk Winder
*1 Master of Etherium
*1 Olivia&#039;s Attendants
*1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
*1 Rashmi and Ragavan
*1 Rose Room Treasurer
*1 Sandsteppe War Riders
*1 Schema Thief
*1 Sharding Sphinx
*1 Shimmer Dragon
*1 Sicarian Infiltrator
*1 Skitterbeam Battalion
*1 Thopter Assembly
*1 Thought Monitor
*1 Tireless Provisioner
*1 Tireless Tracker
*1 Vedalken Humiliator
*1 Whirler Rogue
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Bloodforged Battle-Axe
*1 Combine Chrysalis
*1 Cursed Mirror
*1 Gruul Signet
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Inspiring Statuary
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Liquimetal Torque
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Replicating Ring
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Skyclave Relic
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Spine of Ish Sah
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Big Score
*1 Cathartic Pyre
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Perplexing Test
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Vampires&#039; Vengeance
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Chart a Course
*1 Crack Open
*1 Echo Storm
*1 Fiery Confluence
*1 March of Progress
*1 Mythos of Illuna
*1 Reverse Engineer
*1 Rise and Shine
*1 Root Out
*1 Saheeli&#039;s Artistry
*1 Thoughtcast
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Arterial Alchemy
*1 Curse of Opulence
*1 Fae Offering
*1 Ghirapur Aether Grid
*1 Imprisoned in the Moon
*1 Thopter Spy Network
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*7 Forest
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Game Trail
*8 Island
*8 Mountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Temple of Abandon
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Mystery
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Vineglimmer Snarl
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We've increased the functionality of the deck a bit, so I hope that you take these changes out in the wild and show your friends how strong precons, Gimbal specifically, can be. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Make sure to check back for more precon guides from us Scrap Trawlers. You can also check out our budget content over on </span><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Twitch</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">YouTube</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and follow us on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Don’t forget to upgrade your precon on a budget!</span></p>


Tinker Time - Upgrade Guide

Growing Threat - Precon Primer

Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Red)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CMichael+Komarck%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Michael Komarck)</a></h6>
<h1>You Should Not Be Scared of Sorin</h1>
<p>This question has been brought up in the <em>Magic</em> discourse an infinite number of times with no real answer. People say it would kill EDH as a format, others say it will do nothing but give more options to an endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the third installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover the color black and the planeswalkers found therein, and how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card singleton format.</p>
<p>A quick disclaimer for this article: there is no true disclaimer. There are always exceptions to every rule in this game, but mono-black alone does not have synergies with planeswalkers compared to the other colors talked about so far. Most of these will just be taken at face value, but that does not mean the finding will show them as weak, so let's just get started.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage" href="#" target="_blank">Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 2B</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage"></div></div>
<p>We do not start the list with a banger. A 'walker from the jam-packed <em>War of the Spark,</em> Davriel doesn't do anything better than other mono-black commanders, and this is a much better card in the 99 of discard strategies.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Death Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Death Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 4BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, Death Mage"></div></div>
<p>The list continues with another 'walker that's not going to be worth your time. Courtesy of a Core Set <em>Duel Deck,</em> this card will only ever kill the mill player if their entire deck is creatures and all of them are in the graveyard, provided before all of this they do nothing for a long list of turns.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Death&#039;s Majesty" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Death&#039;s Majesty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 3BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, Death&#039;s Majesty"></div></div>
<p>A solid role-player of a card. It protects itself, it fills your graveyard with its other abilities, and in the right deck is a one-sided Wrath effect. Nothing special, but it doesn't need to be.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Dreadhorde General" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Dreadhorde General</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>– 4BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, Dreadhorde General"></div></div>
<p>If you're utilizing the big mana strategies that black has to offer, this card can be an engine piece when paired with a sacrifice strategy. A bit too expensive for its other abilities to make a massive impact, but the card can do big things if left unchecked.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana of the Dark Realms" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana of the Dark Realms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 2BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana of the Dark Realms"></div></div>
<p>Now we're really getting somewhere in this hypothetical 'planeswalkers as commanders' scenario. Here we have mono-black ramp. This card is underrated to a massive degree just in general. It makes sure you never miss a land drop, it can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defile" href="#" target="_blank">Defile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a creature when needed, and if you ever get to ultimate with this card you'll have more mana than you will ever know what to do with. This wouldn't break the game - green's already doing more with mana production than this would - but I think it needs to see more play in black-heavy decks.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana of the Veil" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana of the Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 1BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana of the Veil"></div></div>
<p>A menace in 1v1, the ultimate three-mana powerhouse herself. Every Modern Jund player's dream of a three-drop and every opponent of the modern Jund player’s worst nightmare. Sadly, in a multiplayer format, this card is not going to be impactful, and its reputation would probably make it a bigger target if it was seen in the command zone.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, the Last Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, the Last Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 1BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, the Last Hope"></div></div>
<p>While this doesn't single-target destroy one of your opponents (like its predecessor), if you cannot ultimate this with a big board of Zombies and get another turn, you're not doing anything. This is a bit disappointing because it's honestly a very cool card, even if it doesn't measure up.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, the Necromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, the Necromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 3BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, the Necromancer"></div></div>
<p>Not sure why Liliana planeswalkers from Core Sets have decent ultimates, but we have another one right here. Once again, we only have a hard-to-get-to ultimate, and nothing else worth it on this card.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Untouched by Death" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Untouched by Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 2BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, Untouched by Death"></div></div>
<p>Once again: Zombies. This card is good in a Zombie-based deck or a weird Changeling-style deck where everything is a “Zombie”. If you're not in a Zombie deck, then this card isn't going to do anything good for you. This would not be my go-to commander for a Zombie deck even if it <em>was</em> an option and even if I <em>only</em> wanted to play mono-black Zombies.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana Vess" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana Vess</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 3BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana Vess"></div></div>
<p>I love this card. Not because it's good, but because it was the first planeswalker I ever opened. I would make a deck around this card if it were legal for the nostalgia of it. The effects of this card aren't terrible, since you have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampiric Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Vampiric Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <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> stapled to it... but yeah, it's expensive and slow. Wow, there really haven't been many interesting mono-black 'walkers that would make for compelling commanders, huh?</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Waker of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Waker of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 2BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, Waker of the Dead"></div></div>
<p>This card is a bit all over the place. It wants you to do many few different things that all have the potential to work together, but just not for the cost. This card doesn't protect itself with an uptick, so it's hard to get to the ultimate, and you need to have a stocked graveyard to facilitate its removal.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lolth, Spider Queen" href="#" target="_blank">Lolth, Spider Queen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 3BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lolth, Spider Queen"></div></div>
<p>At five mana, this... is just a consistent draw engine. With a zero-loyalty ability that draws cards, and an ability to gain loyalty pretty regularly, this just feels like a role-playing 'walker. The ultimate is interesting, maybe, but it likes combat, while the other parts of this card like aristocrats, and those don't always mix. I could see it at the helm of a deck with a <em>Dungeon &amp; Dragons</em> theme, but other than that, it's feeling like just another card for the 99.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis Reignited" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis Reignited</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>– 3BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ob Nixilis Reignited"></div></div>
<p>The cookie-cutter black planeswalker himself. This was <em>the</em> design for 'walkers back in the day: equal parts card advantage, removal, and game-winning ultimate. This is still not a terrible card, but like many black 'walkers before it, was most likely better in the 99.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 3BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted"></div></div>
<p>Okay, okay, stay cool. We found it: the first card in this entire list that would have <em>real</em> potential to lead a deck. Combining this card with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peer into the Abyss" href="#" target="_blank">Peer into the Abyss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can take out one player in a very interesting way. Not sure what will happen after that, but that one person will be dead! (Look, I'm trying here, okay!?)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Professor Onyx" href="#" target="_blank">Professor Onyx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 4BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Professor Onyx"></div></div>
<p>Ah, we've reached the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chain of Smog" href="#" target="_blank">Chain of Smog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> part of the article. This 'walker has a famous infinite <em>Magecraft </em>combo with Smog, so if 'walkers were legal commanders, this entire deck would just be built around tutoring out and deploying that one single combo. Oh boy, that... sure would be a thing! I don't even have much to say about it, and I think that right there is a sign of how much fun it would be, and how much long-term appeal it would have - not very much at all.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 2B</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord"></div></div>
<p>Okay, interesting. Ya know what, I actually think this card would be a great alternative to a Vampire commander. It's cheap, does good things, and can gain you some card advantage. It doesn't have a true ultimate, but buffing creatures, gaining life, and cheating on mana cost are all things every deck should want to do. I'd enjoy seeing this in a command zone.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 3BBB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sorin Markov"></div></div>
<p>This card is possibly the entire reason for the conversation around the legality of all planeswalkers as commanders. Having a -3 ability that sets someone’s life to 10 has terrorized the dreams of Commander players for years. The real question, though, is <em>what does that do?</em> There are certainly ways to make this card hit more than one person, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rings of Brighthearth" href="#" target="_blank">Rings of Brighthearth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lithoform Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Lithoform Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but there are cards already legal that could win the game with those same combos. Perhaps that's the better lesson, though - just setting <em>one </em>person's life total to 10 and singling them out might carry a certain social tension. Anyway, this card tends to be a go-to example for a reason not to legalize planeswalkers as commanders, but I don't think it's the strongest example, not by a long shot. If you don't like the idea of all 'walkers as commanders, lead with stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Parter of Veils" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Parter of Veils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> rather than ol' Sorin here.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin the Mirthless" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin the Mirthless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 2BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sorin the Mirthless"></div></div>
<p>Just a solid card for the 99 once again. Some top-deck manipulation can mitigate the life loss of this card, and the token it makes is a very solid body for both attacking and blocking, but a lackluster ultimate keeps this card from being great in the hypothetical command zone.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin, Vampire Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin, Vampire Lord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 4BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sorin, Vampire Lord"></div></div>
<p>The same song and dance as many cards before. A Core Set 'walker with an expensive cost and bad abilities with an ultimate that's interesting but not achievable. Almost every 'walker with multiple versions has this happen to them, but it seems a bit more prevalent in black.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><u><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska, Scheming Gorgon" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska, Scheming Gorgon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – 4BB</u></strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Scheming Gorgon"></div></div>
<p>Even with a new color scheme, this card could not be saved. While the ultimate does win the game if you have some evasive creatures, it's too expensive, and you need too many turns to get there. What's worse is the ultimate does not give you an emblem, which might be expected with this type of effect, but an until-end-of-turn effect makes it a bit of a letdown.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Wrap-Up</h2>
<p>This is, to me, the most surprising color so far. Mono-black 'walkers are often powerhouses in 1v1 formats, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is often the fuel for the fiery discourse of whether planeswalkers should be legal as commanders. Ultimately though, this color seems very safe, if not outright lackluster! I feel these wouldn't impact Commander to a big degree at all. If you had asked me at the start of this series, I might have picked black as one of the strongest mono-colored card pools, and the one that might have the biggest effect, but due to the lack of extra-counter-gathering effects and/or <em>Proliferate</em> synergies, and due to the 'walkers having higher mana costs and more expensive loyalty requirements, everything leads to the perfect storm of mediocrity.</p>
<p>Next up we tackle red! I was surprised at how safe black planeswalkers were - will this hold true for the next piece of the color pie?</p>
