<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>


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

Rebellion Rising - Precon Upgrade

<h1>Rise to the Occasion</h1>
<p>This is Lenny from the Scrap Trawlers back for another precon primer. This time, we're putting in more than a token effort with the <em>Rebellion Rising</em> deck from <em>Phyrexia: All will be One. </em>The face commander for this one is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Neyali, Suns&#039; Vanguard" href="#" target="_blank">Neyali, Suns&#039; Vanguard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Neyali, Suns&#039; Vanguard"></div></div>
<p>Neyali is a powerful new commander for token decks that gives double strike to attacking tokens and when you attack a player, she exiles a card from the top of your deck that you can play in any turn you attack with a token. Neyali is asking for a go wide deck similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jetmir, Nexus of Revels" href="#" target="_blank">Jetmir, Nexus of Revels</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, except Neyali wants to come down earlier to mine that card advantage. I can see this card being adopted as a commander and in the 99 of token decks as it does a lot for the strategy. The commander is straightforward enough, so lets take a look at the rest of the deck now.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rebellion Rising" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Neyali, Suns&#039; Vanguard
[/Commander]
[Lands]
*1 Boros Garrison
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Castle Ardenvale
*1 Castle Embereth
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*1 Kher Keep
*11 Mountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Path of Ancestry
*11 Plains
*1 Secluded Steppe
*1 Slayers&#039; Stronghold
*1 Temple of Triumph
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Windbrisk Heights
[/Lands]
[Instants]
*1 Boros Charm
*1 Call the Coppercoats
*1 Clever Concealment
*1 Flawless Maneuver
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Midnight Haunting
*1 Path to Exile
*1 White Sun&#039;s Zenith
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Battle Screech
*1 Chain Reaction
*1 Collective Effort
*1 Cut a Deal
*1 Finale of Glory
*1 Goldwardens&#039; Gambit
*1 Hate Mirage
*1 Heroic Reinforcements
*1 Hordeling Outburst
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Increasing Devotion
*1 Martial Coup
*1 Rip Apart
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Glimmer Lens
*1 Hexplate Wallbreaker
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Kemba&#039;s Banner
*1 Loxodon Warhammer
*1 Mace of the Valiant
*1 Mask of Memory
*1 Maul of the Skyclaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Soul-Guide Lantern
*1 Staff of the Storyteller
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Vulshok Factory
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Assemble the Legion
*1 Court of Grace
*1 Felidar Retreat
*1 Intangible Virtue
*1 Roar of Resistance
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Adriana, Captain of the Guard
*1 Dragonmaster Outcast
*1 Emeria Angel
*1 Goldnight Commander
*1 Harmonious Archon
*1 Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer
*1 Legion Warboss
*1 Loyal Apprentice
*1 Mentor of the Meek
*1 Myr Battlesphere
*1 Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory
*1 Phantom General
*1 Prava of the Steel Legion
*1 Siege-Gang Commander
*1 Silverwing Squadron
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
[/Creatures]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Elspeth Tirel
[/Planeswalkers]"></span></div>

<p>The other potential commanders for this deck lend themselves to a similar aggressive strategy. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adriana, Captain of the Guard" href="#" target="_blank">Adriana, Captain of the Guard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer" href="#" target="_blank">Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> boost the stats of your creatures which is nice, but limited. I'd only swap them in if you want to experience what Boros was like in 2016. Newly printed for this deck and a fantastic option to use in its own right is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory" href="#" target="_blank">Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This phoenix gives you an experience counter when it attacks, then makes you a 2/2 attacking creature for each of those counters you had. You can also bring it back to the battlefield by tapping a rebel and paying four mana. It's not official, but I'm considering this a do-over of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas" href="#" target="_blank">Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Swap in Otharri if you prefer to have a token maker in the command zone.</p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rise Up</span></h2>
<p>This is primarily a token based aggro deck. It's looking to make small tokens and send them into combat with Neyali out to keep the cards flowing and the life totals going. Supporting the go wide strategy is an equipment subtheme in case an army of small creatures isn't up to the task. I think this was a good call to include as this deck might otherwise struggle against cards like <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> that can restrict the number of creatures you can attack with. If you're a fan of token decks, you definitely want to take a look at some of the new toys that were made for this deck. Board wipes are a big problem for any go wide strategy, so <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful new way to keep your battlefield intact that's easy to cast thanks to convoke. We also get another three mana rock with upside in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vulshok Factory" href="#" target="_blank">Vulshok Factory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This one gets a charge counter every time we tap it for mana and can be cashed in for a token as big as the number of counters on the factory. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roar of Resistance" href="#" target="_blank">Roar of Resistance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a haste enabler for creature tokens with the added benefit of giving creatures attacking your opponents +2/0 for just two mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Staff of the Storyteller" href="#" target="_blank">Staff of the Storyteller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets counters whenever you create tokens, the draw is limited by it having to tap much like <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>, but the staff also produces a token when it enters the battlefield. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldwardens&#039; Gambit" href="#" target="_blank">Goldwardens&#039; Gambit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> straddles the line between the token and equipment strategies by giving you five hasted creatures to which you can immediately attach any equipment you have lying around.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clever Concealment"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Staff of the Storyteller"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Roar of Resistance"></div></div>
<p>There are already quite a few equipment cards that pair well with token decks, but we got a few more made just for this product that feature the for Mirrodin! ability, which makes a token and attaches the equipment to it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glimmer Lens" href="#" target="_blank">Glimmer Lens</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an equipment that draws a card whenever the equipped creature attacks with at least one other creature. What I like here is that it comes with its own token so it starts as a two mana 2/2 with upside, and you get to keep the draw effect when the token becomes less relevant. Equipment decks in general are going to be happy to get an extra combat step with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hexplate Wallbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Hexplate Wallbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but in this deck, an extra combat means more cards exiled with Neyali and another swing with an army of creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kemba&#039;s Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Kemba&#039;s Banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is yet another effect that boosts power and toughness according to the number of creatures you control, but this one also makes a token attached to it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glimmer Lens"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hexplate Wallbreaker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kemba&#039;s Banner"></div></div>
<p>This deck doesn't really lack wincons. With token decks, any card that makes tokens en masse can be a win condition, especially when the commander gives them double strike. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Martial Coup" href="#" target="_blank">Martial Coup</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Finale of Glory" href="#" target="_blank">Finale of Glory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="White Sun&#039;s Zenith" href="#" target="_blank">White Sun&#039;s Zenith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are ways to spend a bunch of mana to make an army and just swing next turn with double striking tokens. These effects can also work alongside <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldnight Commander" href="#" target="_blank">Goldnight Commander</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make an existing token army hit much harder. If you can get them on an evasive creature, both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kemba&#039;s Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Kemba&#039;s Banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mace of the Valiant" href="#" target="_blank">Mace of the Valiant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could also be lethal.</p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rising Action</span></h2>
<p><em>Rebellion Rising </em>strikes me as the deck that wants to be attacking early and often, putting opponents on the back foot while they try to deal with your double striking creatures and your commander adds to your available cards. Later on you want to lay down an anthem or an equipment to really pile on damage. Be careful not to over commit to the board; you want to have a way to make tokens available to you throughout the game in case your creatures get removed. In a starting hand I think you want to be looking for an early token producer like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hordeling Outburst" href="#" target="_blank">Hordeling Outburst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Midnight Haunting" href="#" target="_blank">Midnight Haunting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> so you have something to attack with when you drop your commander. Having a card to protect from board wipes is also a great place to start because this deck has a bad time if it can't keep its creatures on the field. While this can be a problem for all aggro decks, it can be especially rough for this one as it leans on the commander for draw and needs to be able to attack with tokens to make that happen. This can lead to some awkward moments where you have cards you need to cast in exile that you can't access because you don't have a token to attack with. This deck relies solely on attacking to win, so this deck will struggle against cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Propaganda" href="#" target="_blank">Propaganda</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Constant Mists" href="#" target="_blank">Constant Mists</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There also aren't many ways in the deck to provide mass evasion so you may have trouble getting through if you encounter a deck that wants to go as wide as you do.</p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rise Above</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Which cards are the cream of the crop in this release? Among the new cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has the makings of a white staple. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> shows up in 182,021 decks according to EDHREC and while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn't protect your life total, the fact that you can be selective with what you phase out can be very useful and thanks to convoke, you can cast it when you're otherwise tapped out. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glimmer Lens" href="#" target="_blank">Glimmer Lens</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great new card draw effect in white that's cheap to cast and an easy hoop to jump through for the card. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hexplate Wallbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Hexplate Wallbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great new tool for equipment decks to get extra combats. Nine mana total to cast and equip is a lot, but it pairs well with the numerous ways we have to cheat equip costs nowadays, and since it comes equipped to its own token, you don't need to pay the equip cost the first time anyway.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clever Concealment"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glimmer Lens"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hexplate Wallbreaker"></div></div>
<p>Among the reprints, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flawless Maneuver" href="#" target="_blank">Flawless Maneuver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a clear stand out. It hasn't been reprinted outside of <em>Commander 2020</em> and I never expected to see anything from that cycle outside of a chase card in a masters set. It's a great card for this deck and any deck that's looking to protect it's creatures or commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boros Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Boros Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> shows up in 124,902 decks on EDHEC arguably making it a staple in the colors. This is the first reprint for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth Tirel" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth Tirel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and she was nearly at $10. She only shows up in 4,195 decks, but she does quite a bit for token decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flawless Maneuver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boros Charm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elspeth Tirel"></div></div>
<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rise and Shine</span></h1>
<p>The <em>Rebellion Rising</em> deck is a decent starting point, but I think it needs a bit of work. Out of the box, this is a good deck to get for a newer player or if you're looking for something to play that doesn't use a lot of complicated interactions, but I think it will struggle against more tuned decks that have answers for combat focused strategies. I think with a bit more draw, board protection, and evasion this deck could really shine. Still, it's not a bad pickup. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flawless Maneuver" href="#" target="_blank">Flawless Maneuver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> cover a chunk of the cost of the deck and many of the cards are useful in a variety of decks. I've got some great ideas for improving this precon so check back soon for my upgrade guide and remember to budget before you buy it.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


Rebellion Rising - Precon Primer

Corrupting Influence - Precon Primer

Corrupting Influence - Precon Upgrade

Mind Flayarrrs - Upgrade Guide

Mind Flayarrrs - Precon Primer

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emmara, Soul of the Accord" href="#" target="_blank">Emmara, Soul of the Accord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.kaicarpenterart.com/">Kai Carpenter</a>)</h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello All! This is Bert, coming from the Scrap Trawlers channel where we do EDH </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">on a budget. Today we're looking at upgrades for the Token Triumph starter deck. In my previous article we dove into what the general strategies and synergies of the deck are, so while using that as a guide we'll find upgrades that will aid in those strategies. Let’s get in to it!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For reference here is the original decklist:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Token Triumph" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Emmara, Soul of the Accord
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Aura Mutation
*1 Devouring Light
*1 March of the Multitudes
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Rootborn Defenses
*1 Scatter the Seeds
*1 Sylvan Reclamation
*1 White Sun&#039;s Zenith
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Avacyn&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Champion of Lambholt
*1 Citanul Hierophants
*1 Dauntless Escort
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Farhaven Elf
*1 Great Oak Guardian
*1 Hornet Nest
*1 Hornet Queen
*1 Jade Mage
*1 Jaspera Sentinel
*1 Leafkin Druid
*1 Loyal Guardian
*1 Maja, Bretagard Protector
*1 Mentor of the Meek
*1 Nullmage Shepherd
*1 Reclamation Sage
*1 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
*1 Scavenging Ooze
*1 Selesnya Evangel
*1 Selesnya Guildmage
*1 Sporemound
*1 Thunderfoot Baloth
*1 Trostani Discordant
*1 Verdant Force
*1 Voice of Many
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Collective Blessing
*1 Commander&#039;s Insignia
*1 Conclave Tribunal
*1 Curse of Bounty
*1 Dawn of Hope
*1 Dictate of Heliod
*1 Felidar Retreat
*1 Karametra&#039;s Favor
*1 Overwhelming Instinct
*1 Presence of Gond
*1 Valor in Akros
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Slate of Ancestry
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Unity
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Camaraderie
*1 Citywide Bust
*1 Collective Unconscious
*1 Harmonize
*1 Harvest Season
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Nissa&#039;s Expedition
*1 Overrun
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Ajani, Caller of the Pride
[/Planeswalkers]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Blossoming Sands
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Elfhame Palace
*15 Forest
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Graypelt Refuge
*1 Holdout Settlement
*14 Plains
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Tranquil Expanse
*1 Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>New Recruits</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our commander is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emmara, Soul of the Accord" href="#" target="_blank">Emmara, Soul of the Accord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She provides us with a way to consistently create tokens by either attacking or using another source to tap her. The deck's initial shell comes with a number of ways to produce these tokens, but we'll definitely add a couple more so that we can make it a bit more consistent. Some of these spells have the </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Convoke</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> keyword, which enables us to tap our commander to cast the spell.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some areas the deck needs the most help in are protection for our board, card draw, synergies, and a bit more removal. Protection, card draw, and synergies are going to be my main focus, and the amount of removal should mostly depend on your play group and how it plays. So let’s take a look at our new additions!</span></p>
<h2><b>Upping the Arsenal</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Patriar&#039;s Seal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Collective Effort"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bess, Soul Nourisher"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So starting off we're adding some protection for our board, one of which is included in the breaking the budget section. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Riot Control" href="#" target="_blank">Riot Control</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unbreakable Formation" href="#" target="_blank">Unbreakable Formation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will give us some defense against board wipes and protect us if we end up overextending. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rootborn Defenses" href="#" target="_blank">Rootborn Defenses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> even goes as afar as making another token for our board which can add a bit of power to our army while Unbreakable Formation gives us an advantage in attacking. With these we can be a bit more loose with our plays as we have a back up plan. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tocasia’s Welcome"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Welcoming Vampire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rumor Gatherer"></div></div> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With some protection in our corner we can move on to card draw. The importance in card draw in our deck is insurmountable since we will be using a lot of our cards to bolster our board state. We need the card draw to make sure that we can stay in the game. First is a new card from Brothers' War, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tocasia’s Welcome" href="#" target="_blank">Tocasia’s Welcome</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It provides us with a card whenever we create a token or play a creature that meets the requirements. I expect it to give us a number of cards over the course of the game. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Welcoming Vampire" href="#" target="_blank">Welcoming Vampire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another card that provides us with card draw with the plus side of being on a 2/3 flying body. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rumor Gatherer" href="#" target="_blank">Rumor Gatherer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card from New Capenna that has been working overtime in a lot of my decks. The scry effect, when used correctly, provides us with so much card selection that it feels as if we are picking the cards that we are going draw.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Queen Allenal of Ruadach"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Relic of Legends"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmonious Archon"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last but not least we have some cards to add to the overall synergy of our deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Allenal of Ruadach" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Allenal of Ruadach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an amazing creature that provides us with another body whenever we create a token. Not only that but she herself gets bigger for each creature that we have on the field, making for a beefy attacker. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relic of Legends" href="#" target="_blank">Relic of Legends</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us a bit of mana ramp and a tap outlet for our commander. A good card to buff our creatures is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harmonious Archon" href="#" target="_blank">Harmonious Archon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which creates another two bodies on ETB and then buffs them to 3/3s. </span></p>
<h2><b>Sideline Warriors</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valor in Akros"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dawn of Hope"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Verdant Force"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now that we have the additions, we can go over what's going to be left on the sidelines. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valor in Akros" href="#" target="_blank">Valor in Akros</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the first cards that is going to be cut from the initial list as it only gives us a buff until end of turn, and the amount of work that we have to do so that the buff is substantial is more than we are willing to put in. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dawn of Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Dawn of Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another cut that is just okay. This card is included because the tokens Emmara makes have lifelink, so it smooths out draws. But since we already addressed the draw issue earlier we can go ahead and remove this one. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Verdant Force" href="#" target="_blank">Verdant Force</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another card being cut. Its a bit over costed for what we want to do. Since we have added some more effective card draw we can take out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voice of Many" href="#" target="_blank">Voice of Many</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rishkar, Peema Renegade" href="#" target="_blank">Rishkar, Peema Renegade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another cut for me. It gives us another outlet to tap our commander, but we don’t have many ways to provide our team with counters. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jade Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Jade Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another card that just doesn't do what we want as its more mana intensive than we would like.</span></p>
<h2><b>Riches for the Army</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every article we mention some high dollar cards that you can add to your deck if that is the kind of addition you are trying to make. The manabase is always an easy place to start so adding the shock land and other dual lands like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sunpetal Grove" href="#" target="_blank">Sunpetal Grove</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will definitely help you on the front end. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then we have some cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroic Intervention" href="#" target="_blank">Heroic Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can fit into our protection section. It is just a bit more expensive than some of the other options that we have. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite" href="#" target="_blank">Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful card that shrinks our opponents boards yet empowers our side giving our armor a big advantage. In that same vein cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ohran Frostfang" href="#" target="_blank">Ohran Frostfang</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both provide us with some pushing power in our team. Ohran Frostfang also gives us another way to draw cards as well. <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> gives all our creatures the ability to tap for mana without a caveat like Rishkar. Finally we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bennie Bracks, Zoologist" href="#" target="_blank">Bennie Bracks, Zoologist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> giving us the ability to <em>Convoke</em> for his cause and adding even more draw to our kit.</span></p>
<h2><b>Results of the Battle</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So our final list looks like this:</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Token Triumph edited" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Emmara, Soul of the Accord
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Aura Mutation
*1 Devouring Light
*1 March of the Multitudes
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Rootborn Defenses
*1 Sylvan Reclamation
*1 Unbreakable Formation
*1 White Sun&#039;s Zenith
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Avacyn&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Bess, Soul Nourisher
*1 Champion of Lambholt
*1 Citanul Hierophants
*1 Dauntless Escort
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Farhaven Elf
*1 Great Oak Guardian
*1 Harmonious Archon
*1 Hornet Nest
*1 Hornet Queen
*1 Jaspera Sentinel
*1 Leafkin Druid
*1 Loyal Guardian
*1 Maja, Bretagard Protector
*1 Mentor of the Meek
*1 Nullmage Shepherd
*1 Queen Allenal of Ruadach
*1 Reclamation Sage
*1 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
*1 Rumor Gatherer
*1 Scavenging Ooze
*1 Selesnya Evangel
*1 Selesnya Guildmage
*1 Sporemound
*1 Thunderfoot Baloth
*1 Trostani Discordant
*1 Welcoming Vampire
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Patriar&#039;s Seal
*1 Relic of Legends
*1 Slate of Ancestry
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Unity
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Camaraderie
*1 Citywide Bust
*1 Collective Effort
*1 Collective Unconscious
*1 Harmonize
*1 Harvest Season
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Nissa&#039;s Expedition
*1 Overrun
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Collective Blessing
*1 Commander&#039;s Insignia
*1 Conclave Tribunal
*1 Curse of Bounty
*1 Dictate of Heliod
*1 Karametra&#039;s Favor
*1 Tocasia&#039;s Welcome
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Blossoming Sands
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Elfhame Palace
*15 Forest
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Graypelt Refuge
*1 Holdout Settlement
*14 Plains
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Tranquil Expanse
*1 Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Again I have had a great time finding cards to upgrade the deck and add to its effectiveness. It's up to you to come up with some additional upgrades. Were there any that I missed? Please let me know in the comments.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hit us up on <a href="https://twitter.com/scraptrawlers">Twitter</a>, or find our other content on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/scraptrawlers">YouTube</a> and <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers">Twitch</a>. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for more precon content from my fellow Scrap Trawlers right here on EDHREC.</span></p>


Token Triumph - Upgrade Guide

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emmara, Soul of the Accord" href="#" target="_blank">Emmara, Soul of the Accord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.kaicarpenterart.com/">Kai Carpenter</a>)</h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello! This is Bert coming to you from the Scrap Trawlers, where we do </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">EDH</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on a budget. We're your EDHREC precon guides, and I'm here again to give you some insight on how the Token Triumph Starter Commander Deck functions. This is going to include some information such as general themes, synergies, which cards are worth looking at, and what reprints are exciting! Let’s get started!</span></p>
<h2><b>Square One</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Token Triumph precon is a Selesnya deck led by none other than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emmara, Soul of the Accord" href="#" target="_blank">Emmara, Soul of the Accord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Going off of Emmara alone we are leaning towards a token strategy focusing more on going wide. The initial shell of the deck comes with a multitude of ways to tap our commander so that we can create those Soldier tokens. In addition to those, we have some ways to not only produce tokens in our deck, we also have other creatures that can continue to swarm the board as well. So right from the start we have a deck that reinforces our go-wide strategies. Take a look at the deck list.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Token Triumph" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Emmara, Soul of the Accord
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Aura Mutation
*1 Devouring Light
*1 March of the Multitudes
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Rootborn Defenses
*1 Scatter the Seeds
*1 Sylvan Reclamation
*1 White Sun&#039;s Zenith
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Avacyn&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Champion of Lambholt
*1 Citanul Hierophants
*1 Dauntless Escort
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Farhaven Elf
*1 Great Oak Guardian
*1 Hornet Nest
*1 Hornet Queen
*1 Jade Mage
*1 Jaspera Sentinel
*1 Leafkin Druid
*1 Loyal Guardian
*1 Maja, Bretagard Protector
*1 Mentor of the Meek
*1 Nullmage Shepherd
*1 Reclamation Sage
*1 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
*1 Scavenging Ooze
*1 Selesnya Evangel
*1 Selesnya Guildmage
*1 Sporemound
*1 Thunderfoot Baloth
*1 Trostani Discordant
*1 Verdant Force
*1 Voice of Many
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Collective Blessing
*1 Commander&#039;s Insignia
*1 Conclave Tribunal
*1 Curse of Bounty
*1 Dawn of Hope
*1 Dictate of Heliod
*1 Felidar Retreat
*1 Karametra&#039;s Favor
*1 Overwhelming Instinct
*1 Presence of Gond
*1 Valor in Akros
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Slate of Ancestry
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Unity
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Camaraderie
*1 Citywide Bust
*1 Collective Unconscious
*1 Harmonize
*1 Harvest Season
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Nissa&#039;s Expedition
*1 Overrun
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Ajani, Caller of the Pride
[/Planeswalkers]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Blossoming Sands
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Elfhame Palace
*15 Forest
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Graypelt Refuge
*1 Holdout Settlement
*14 Plains
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Tranquil Expanse
*1 Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With all of the cards giving us a solid strategy, lets go into just what cards are doing the most work.</span></p>
<h2><b>Follow the Leader</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Citanul Hierophants"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scatter the Seeds"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="March of the Multitudes"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As we look at the cards included in the deck we have token generation as their primary function with some </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Convoke</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> being included as secondary options to activate our commander. In the deck's current state you may have an outlet to activate your commander every other turn or so, but you would be able to produce tokens through other means. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hornet Nest" href="#" target="_blank">Hornet Nest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a strong defensive card that can make us a number of flying deathtouching blockers. Both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maja, Bretagard Protector" href="#" target="_blank">Maja, Bretagard Protector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sporemound" href="#" target="_blank">Sporemound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> create tokens when a land enters the battlefield, with Maja going the distance and even buffing those creatures as well. With us being in green, we have more than a few ways to ramp out some lands giving these two cards ample chances to earn their keep. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since we are in the strategy of going wide we need some ways to buff our team so that we can get through. One of my favorite includes would be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Champion of Lambholt" href="#" target="_blank">Champion of Lambholt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It doesn't just incentivize us to create tokens, it also pumps itself and makes it harder for our opponents to block. Also in this same school of thought is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderfoot Baloth" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderfoot Baloth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With our Commander having mana value two, we'll be able to have her on the field the majority of the time for the <em>Lieutenant</em> trigger. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Loyal Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Loyal Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also buffs our team with some handy and permanent +1/+1 counters. With all of these and some other amazing options, we have a ton of ways to bolster our army so that they can overrun our opponents. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last but not least, let's go over some cards that are just good includes and will always pull through in a game for you. My favorite that is just a simple card is <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>. It is a cheap and efficient card draw source that, over the game, will provide for you so long as you can continue to make the one token per turn that it needs, which we have a number of options for. On the higher end of the scale we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Camaraderie" href="#" target="_blank">Camaraderie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; it's another card draw source that gives us incidental life gain and a buff to our creatures. It can be expensive mana-wise, but the ceiling is so high you can always at least give it a try.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderfoot Baloth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Champion of Lambholt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Idol of Oblivion"></div></div>
<h2><b>How does the Army fair?</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Token Triumph is an aggressive deck that aims to create tokens and ways to pump them with the plethora of buffs available to us. The deck is correctly named a Starter deck as it foregoes a lot of the common Commander cards to aid the strategy giving you the freedom to follow your own upgrade path. Focusing on accumulating a fighting force early game while chipping away at our opponents so that we can finish them with a mighty swing later on down the line. With a deck like this it is important to be mindful of overextension so that you don't overstep and lose too many resources to a board wipe.</span></p>
<h2><b>Final Thoughts </b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Token Triumph Starter deck is a synergistic deck. It has a cohesive them that is easy to execute so even without the inclusion of format “staples” it will do a pretty good job in kitchen table games. The <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Citanul Hierophants" href="#" target="_blank">Citanul Hierophants</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> reprint is pretty great pickup and might now see another is quite a bit. What do you think about the Token Triumph Starter Deck?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Come back again to check out our upgrade article that will give you a bunch of recommendations on cards you can use to power up your token army. Don't forget to check out the <a href="https://twitter.com/scraptrawlers">Scrap Trawlers</a> on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/scraptrawlers">YouTube</a> as well as our <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers">Twitch</a>. Hope to see you all again soon!</span></p>


Token Triumph - Precon Primer

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atarka, World Render" href="#" target="_blank">Atarka, World Render</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/camillealquier">Camille Alquier</a>)</h6>
<h1><b>Double Your Fun</b></h1>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hey friends! It’s precon time again, and the Scrap Trawlers are back with your primers and upgrade guides. This time we’re turning our attention to the new Starter Commander Decks that Wizards released on December 2nd. These 5 two-color decks are marketed as a way to get your friends and family into playing the best format of </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Magic</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. And just in time for the holidays! I’m <a href="https://twitter.com/AndyZupke">Andy</a>, and today we’re taking to the skies with damage so nice we’re dealing it twice. It’s the Draconic Destruction deck led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atarka, World Render" href="#" target="_blank">Atarka, World Render</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<h2><b>Dragon Me Down</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Atarka is a 6/4 Dragon with flying and trample that gives all of your attacking Dragons double strike. Simple, yet highly effective. This deck wants to slam Dragons on the table and turn them sideways. A perfect strategy for a deck to teach your Nana Commander after Christmas dinner when she’s two eggnogs deep.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atarka, World Render"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s the full decklist:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Draconic Destruction" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Atarka, World Render
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Akoum Hellkite
*1 Demanding Dragon
*1 Draconic Disciple
*1 Dragon Mage
*1 Dragonkin Berserker
*1 Dragonlord&#039;s Servant
*1 Dragonmaster Outcast
*1 Dragonspeaker Shaman
*1 Drakuseth, Maw of Flames
*1 Dream Pillager
*1 Drumhunter
*1 Flameblast Dragon
*1 Foe-Razer Regent
*1 Furnace Whelp
*1 Harbinger of the Hunt
*1 Hoard-Smelter Dragon
*1 Loaming Shaman
*1 Mordant Dragon
*1 Rapacious Dragon
*1 Runehorn Hellkite
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Savage Ventmaw
*1 Scourge of Valkas
*1 Steel Hellkite
*1 Thunderbreak Regent
*1 Thundermaw Hellkite
*1 Tyrant&#039;s Familiar
*1 Verix Bladewing
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Atarka Monument
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Dragon&#039;s Hoard
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Impulse
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Blossoming Defense
*1 Hunter&#039;s Insight
*1 Magmaquake
*1 Provoke the Trolls
*1 Return to Nature
*1 Spit Flame
*1 Unleash Fury
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Chain Reaction
*1 Clan Defiance
*1 Cultivate
*1 Harmonize
*1 Hunter&#039;s Prowess
*1 Primal Might
*1 Shamanic Revelation
*1 Sweltering Suns
*1 Vandalblast
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crucible of Fire
*1 Dragon Tempest
*1 Elemental Bond
*1 Fires of Yavimaya
*1 Frontier Siege
*1 Garruk&#039;s Uprising
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*12 Forest
*1 Game Trail
*1 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
*1 Kazandu Refuge
*18 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Rugged Highlands
*1 Shivan Oasis
*1 Temple of Abandon
*1 Timber Gorge
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Combat-focused decks are, typically, an easy sell for new players, and that’s exactly what we have with Draconic Destruction. The main drawback to this deck, from a beginner’s standpoint, is the high mana value on Atarka. The 7 mana cost ensures that your Commander won’t be hitting the board until turn 5 or 6. Maybe 4 if you’re lucky and drop extra ramp in the first couple of turns. Thankfully the deck is packing a lot of ramp, with 14 pieces. The ramp comes in many forms, from Dragon cost reduction in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonlord’s Servant" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonlord’s Servant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonspeaker Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonspeaker Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to rocks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atarka Monument" href="#" target="_blank">Atarka Monument</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to land fetchers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakura-Tribe Elder" href="#" target="_blank">Sakura-Tribe Elder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. </span></p>
<h2><b>What’s it Do?</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragonmaster Outcast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Savage Ventmaw"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dream Pillager"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This deck’s theme couldn’t be more straightforward. Unfortunately it is just a tad light on the Dragon cards, with only 21 included in the deck, plus a few token makers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonmaster Outcast" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonmaster Outcast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonkin Berserker" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonkin Berserker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I would prefer at least 30 in a creature type-themed deck, but we’ll make do with what we have here. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Creature type decks function best when you’re able to play the creatures that can serve multiple functions. So we want Dragons that not only attack, but also draw us cards, remove threats and pesky blockers, or even ramp us. The deck has all of these, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dream Pillager" href="#" target="_blank">Dream Pillager</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> getting us more cards to play, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drakuseth, Maw of Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Drakuseth, Maw of Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hoard-Smelter Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Hoard-Smelter Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tyrant’s Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Tyrant’s Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> handling the removal, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savage Ventmaw" href="#" target="_blank">Savage Ventmaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rapacious Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Rapacious Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> giving us some extra mana.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the heavy ramp suite is good for the deck since it allows us to play Atarka early, the deck suffers from an imbalance in two other important categories: card draw/advantage and removal. It’s immensely overstuffed with removal spells, with an eye-popping 22 spells included. The decks I brew only run half that much! Now, I could forgive this gluttony of removal if it were thematic and included a large number of dragons. But of the 22 cards, only 9 are actual Dragons. A few more are dragon-related, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spit Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Spit Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker" href="#" target="_blank">Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Tempest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And a few of the removal spells are meant to take out small or non-flying creatures, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sweltering Suns" href="#" target="_blank">Sweltering Suns</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magmaquake" href="#" target="_blank">Magmaquake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clan Defiance" href="#" target="_blank">Clan Defiance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While a lot of removal can be strategically good, as it makes sure to clear blockers out of the way, it’s also an unfriendly playstyle, as it doesn’t allow your opponents a chance to play with their own creatures.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sweltering Suns"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clan Defiance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Where the deck is light is on card draw/advantage spells, with only 10 cards counted. This isn’t terribly far from my preferred number, as I usually like to run 11 or 12 myself, but it’s crucial to keep the cards coming in decks like these that are so vulnerable to board wipes. And it would’ve been easy for the deck's designers to cut 5 removal spells and assign those slots to the deck’s other needs.</span></p>
<h2><b>How to Play it</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A big problem I noticed with playtesting is that, even with the 14 ramps spells and 40 lands in the deck, it still struggles in the early game. The average mana value is 3.82, which isn’t terrible (and surprisingly not the worst of these starter decks), but it’s still high enough to give the deck a rocky start. Also, 30 of the 40 lands are basics, with only 12 of those being Forests, so the mana-fixing isn’t great. Make sure your opening hand has green mana production in it, because you </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">will</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> need it. The other problem, mana-wise, is that a combat-focused deck wants to start getting creatures out quickly, but that’s very challenging in a Dragon deck. In general, most Dragons cost 5 to 7 mana, which holds true with this deck, where only 3 Dragons cost less than 5 mana, and none of them cost less than 4.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I had a hard time getting a good opening hand in playtesting. Either the hand had no green mana, or all the non-land cards were over 4 mana, or, frequently, I had both of these problems. The mana base is poorly designed, so just be open with your playgroup and tell them you may need a few extra free mulligans.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once you’ve got your mana sorted out, the deck is pretty much just “drop Dragons and swing.” Don’t over-commit to the board. Just because you </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">can </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">play another Dragon, doesn’t mean you </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">should</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> play another dragon. If you’ve got a few out already and they’re doing what they’re supposed to, think about holding onto Dragons in your hand so you can recover from board wipes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The double strike provided by Atarka is certainly enough of a win-con, and will usually get the job done as long as your opponents aren’t also running flyers; double strike doesn’t do a whole lot to life totals if there are blockers. Thankfully the deck has one secret weapon against opposing forces in the air: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thundermaw Hellkite" href="#" target="_blank">Thundermaw Hellkite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Drop this monster when you have a cadre of toothy beasts ready to swing, and your opponents’ flyers will get pushed aside so you can reclaim your territorial dominance of the skies.</span></p>
<h2><b>Final Thoughts</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the problem in the mana, and a less-than-optimal number of Dragons for a Dragon deck, it is still a decent display of the kind of power that Dragons can have, and a great way to lure fantasy lovers into the game.</span></p>
<p><b>Verdict: Buy it (for beginners only)</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is nothing quite like the feeling a beginning </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Magic </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">player gets than when they drop their first huge creature on the board and smash it into someone’s face for a lot of damage. This deck encapsulates that joy fairly well, and would make an excellent stocking stuffer.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragon Tempest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thundermaw Hellkite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elemental Bond"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For veterans, there’s not much here to get excited about. If you’ve been playing a while, you probably already own most of the singles. There are a few decent value cards in the deck: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Tempest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thundermaw Hellkite" href="#" target="_blank">Thundermaw Hellkite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elemental Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Elemental Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (when did this uncommon get so pricey?), as well as a large handful of $1 to $2 cards. So probably not worth the cost, unless you find it under $20.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’re not done yet! If your Nana had a blast smashing dragons into your least favorite cousin’s smarmy face and you wanna help her upgrade it on the cheap, then make sure to check out my upgrade guide! And don’t forget to catch the other budget content from <a href="https://twitter.com/scraptrawlers">Scrap Trawlers</a> over on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/scraptrawlers">YouTube</a> and <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers">Twitch</a>. Until next time, remember to budget…before you buy it.</span></p>
