Brew For Your Buck - 2023 Review

Brew For Your Buck - Descent into Cavnica

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hakbal of the Surging Soul" href="#" target="_blank">Hakbal of the Surging Soul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by<a href="https://www.tylerwalpole.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Tyler Walpole</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nicanzil, Current Conductor" href="#" target="_blank">Nicanzil, Current Conductor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/faribakhamseh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fariba Khamseh</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood" href="#" target="_blank">Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.campbellwhitedesign.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Campbell White</a>)</h6>
<p>Hello friends. It's Beth, Queen of Cardboard, with the Precon Primer for the <em>Lost Caverns of Ixalan</em> deck, <em>Explorers of the Deep</em>. Popularity-wise, this deck falls far below <em>Veloci-ramp-tor</em>, but fish friends rejoice, because this deck is splashy and takes full advantage of the Explore mechanic.</p>
<p>Explore allows you to reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land, it goes to hand; if it's not, you get to put a +1/+1 counter on the Exploring creature and you can leave the card on top or put it in the graveyard. In prerelease at my game store, this mechanic was relatively overlooked, with players focusing more on Descend, artifacts, and big stompy Dinos. In Commander, however, Explore is extremely useful - thinning your deck as needed, getting those lands you're missing, and making your creatures a little bit bigger.</p>
<p>Let's get into how you can Explore your way to victory with this Merfolk deck.</p>
<h2>I Wanna Be Where the Merfolk Are</h2>
<p>As typal builds go, <a href="https://edhrec.com/typal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EDHREC</a> shows that Merfolk falls far behind the most popular type, Dragons. But they've held a place in my heart, if not my decks, for some time. Prior to <em>Lost Caverns</em>, your most powerful Merfolk didn't really lend to a typal build. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tatyova, Steward of Tides" href="#" target="_blank">Tatyova, Steward of Tides</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wants to turn your lands into creatures, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrasios, Triton Hero" href="#" target="_blank">Thrasios, Triton Hero</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is busy dominating the cEDH scene, and <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> are token focused. Most Merfolk decks until now were helmed by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca" href="#" target="_blank">Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who is not a weak commander, but having variety is the spice of deck building, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hakbal of the Surging Soul" href="#" target="_blank">Hakbal of the Surging Soul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is coming in with a surge of support.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hakbal of the Surging Soul"></div></div>
<p>Hakbal is a four-mana 3/3, which feels a little expensive until you experience the Explore mechanic going off. Hakbal allows all your Merfolk to Explore at the beginning of combat. So getting out two or three Merfolk out ahead of your commander is actually a good thing, because when he's out, instead of Exploring once, you can do it multiple times.</p>
<p>This is the Simic synergy that will make you drop your Human deck and consider living under the sea with your Merfolk - at least on the battlefield.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Explorers of the Deep Precon Deck" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Hakbal of the Surging Soul
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Aetherize
*1 Beast Within
*1 Commit // Memory
*1 Growth Spiral
*1 Inspiring Call
*1 Quandrix Command
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Ripples of Potential
*1 Ruinous Intrusion
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Benthic Biomancer
*1 Cold-Eyed Selkie
*1 Coralhelm Commander
*1 Deeproot Elite
*1 Deeproot Historian
*1 Emperor Mihail II
*1 Evolution Sage
*1 Herald of Secret Streams
*1 Kiora&#039;s Follower
*1 Kopala, Warden of Waves
*1 Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
*1 Master of the Pearl Trident
*1 Merfolk Cave-Diver
*1 Merfolk Mistbinder
*1 Merfolk Skydiver
*1 Merfolk Sovereign
*1 Merrow Reejerey
*1 Metallic Mimic
*1 Mist Dancer
*1 Nicanzil, Current Conductor
*1 Prime Speaker Zegana
*1 Realmwalker
*1 Sage of Fables
*1 Seafloor Oracle
*1 Singer of Swift Rivers
*1 Stonybrook Banneret
*1 Surgespanner
*1 Svyelun of Sea and Sky
*1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*1 Thassa, God of the Sea
*1 Thieving Skydiver
*1 Tishana, Voice of Thunder
*1 Topography Tracker
*1 Tributary Instructor
*1 Vorel of the Hull Clade
*1 Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood
*1 Zegana, Utopian Speaker
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Branching Evolution
*1 Deeproot Waters
*1 Hardened Scales
*1 Kindred Discovery
*1 Reflections of Littjara
*1 Simic Ascendancy
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Bygone Marvels
*1 Curse of the Swine
*1 Explore
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Ravenform
*1 Wave Goodbye
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Alchemist&#039;s Refuge
*1 Command Tower
*3 Forest
*4 Forest
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*6 Island
*7 Island
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Llanowar Reborn
*1 Mosswort Bridge
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Temple of Mystery
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Unclaimed Territory
*1 Vineglimmer Snarl
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<h2>Flippin Ya Fins is Gonna Get Ya Far</h2>
<p>Let's be honest, Explore by itself isn't the most busted mechanic. It's what your commander and alternate commander do with it that makes it cracked. The primary goal of Explore is to either get cards you don't want (or do if you're short on lands) out of your deck and out of your way. Additionally, it's going to pump your creatures permanently with +1/+1 counters.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nicanzil, Current Conductor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Herald of Secret Streams"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mist Dancer"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nicanzil, Current Conductor" href="#" target="_blank">Nicanzil, Current Conductor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is going to take advantage of this - whenever a creature Explores a land card, you can put a land card into play tapped; and when a creature Explores a nonland card, you'll put a +1/+1 counter on that creature and Nicanzil as well. Don't worry about all those lands going to hand, because Hakbal also lets you put a land into play when he attacks, and if you don't have one or don't want to, you draw a card. This is a value engine that doesn't stop, with some heavy support from your Merfolk.</p>
<p>Your Merfolk army not only gets more evasive as you play more cards, you're also going to have so many cards you might not know what to do with it all. Don't worry, you'll end up playing most of them with all the ramp you'll be getting from your commander.</p>
<h2>Poor Unfortunate Opponents</h2>
<p>This deck is swingy, and as such you'll need to get through for combat damage. So it has a lot of removal, and you'll be sure to take advantage of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wave Goodbye" href="#" target="_blank">Wave Goodbye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a mass return-to-hand for creatures that don't have +1/+1 counters on them. I really like this one because it doesn't destroy your creatures who don't have counters yet, but gets the board open for combat. Other fan favorites in this deck include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherize" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beast Within" href="#" target="_blank">Beast Within</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wave Goodbye"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Merfolk Sovereign"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quandrix Command"></div></div>
<p>If you're not able to wipe the board, you can at least swing in with your biggest creatures, because there are multiple ways to make your creatures unblockable. In addition to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Herald of Secret Streams" href="#" target="_blank">Herald of Secret Streams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this deck is equipped with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa, God of the Sea" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa, God of the Sea</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merfolk Sovereign" href="#" target="_blank">Merfolk Sovereign</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rogue&#039;s Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Rogue&#039;s Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merfolk Cave-Diver" href="#" target="_blank">Merfolk Cave-Diver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>As a blue player, you'll have some responses, but the deck is lacking in counterspells. The ones included, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quandrix Command" href="#" target="_blank">Quandrix Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Commit // Memory" href="#" target="_blank">Commit // Memory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are a little slower than the average blue player's arsenal.</p>
<h2>Wait, That's Not a Fish</h2>
<p>Included in the creature section of the deck are four decidedly not-Merfolk creatures, and the only one that I'm super excited about is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood" href="#" target="_blank">Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Not only does this smiling axolotl get a 10/10 on the cuteness scale, it's also incredibly synergistic with the deck. Turning your opponents' lands into Islands is another way you'll be able to swing in for combat damage, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Master of the Pearl Trident" href="#" target="_blank">Master of the Pearl Trident</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stonybrook Banneret" href="#" target="_blank">Stonybrook Banneret</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cold-Eyed Selkie" href="#" target="_blank">Cold-Eyed Selkie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolution Sage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Metallic Mimic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Realmwalker"></div></div>
<p>As for the other three (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolution Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Evolution Sage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metallic Mimic" href="#" target="_blank">Metallic Mimic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Realmwalker" href="#" target="_blank">Realmwalker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), while they're creating synergy with the deck, I would have preferred something a little more oceanic, or at least from Ixalan itself, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roaming Throne" href="#" target="_blank">Roaming Throne</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merrow Reejerey" href="#" target="_blank">Merrow Reejerey</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merrow Commerce" href="#" target="_blank">Merrow Commerce</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord of Atlantis" href="#" target="_blank">Lord of Atlantis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would have been my choices.</p>
<h2>In Conclusion</h2>
<p>It's hard to explain how good this deck is until you see it in action. It has plenty of evasion and gets a wide and strong board state quickly with a lot of typal support, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reflections of Littjara" href="#" target="_blank">Reflections of Littjara</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <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>. If you like playing decks that give you full hands, swingy board states, and lots of ramp, this is the deck for you. You'll be flipping out when you see this deck popping off against creatures big and small.</p>
<p>One thing is for sure, fish is not on the menu for your opponents when you're at the helm. Let me know in the comments what you liked about this deck and some of your favorite Merfolk from <em>Lost Caverns of Ixalan</em>. And stay tuned for my Upgrade Guide!</p>
<h3>If you liked this article, be sure to check out:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Ky0BpSPdsG"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/mrtady-pantlaza-hakbal-clavileno-admiral-brass-the-lost-caverns-of-ixalan-edh-casual-commander-2/">MrTady - Pantlaza / Hakbal / Clavileno / Admiral Brass | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan EDH / Casual Commander</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;MrTady - Pantlaza / Hakbal / Clavileno / Admiral Brass | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan EDH / Casual Commander&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/mrtady-pantlaza-hakbal-clavileno-admiral-brass-the-lost-caverns-of-ixalan-edh-casual-commander-2/embed/#?secret=aROY5oDPnn#?secret=Ky0BpSPdsG" data-secret="Ky0BpSPdsG" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="70ng9lFFsS"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-command-zone-the-best-cards-in-the-99-from-lost-caverns-of-ixalan-the-command-zone-575-mtg-edh-magic/">The Command Zone - The Best Cards (In the 99) from Lost Caverns of Ixalan | The Command Zone 575 | MTG EDH Magic</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;The Command Zone - The Best Cards (In the 99) from Lost Caverns of Ixalan | The Command Zone 575 | MTG EDH Magic&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-command-zone-the-best-cards-in-the-99-from-lost-caverns-of-ixalan-the-command-zone-575-mtg-edh-magic/embed/#?secret=5jvlXwX4k5#?secret=70ng9lFFsS" data-secret="70ng9lFFsS" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Precon Primer - Explorers of the Deep

Wombo Combo - Mono-Blue Edition

Brew For Your Buck - A Dedication To A Friend, Aristocrats And Spellslinger

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Thirteenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Thirteenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/skadivore/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pauline Voss</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yasmin Khan" href="#" target="_blank">Yasmin Khan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://kuzinskiyart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrey Kuzinskiy</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://raymondswanland.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Raymond Swanland</a>)</h6>
<p>Hey friends. Beth, Queen of Cardboard here with another Precon Upgrade Guide. Today we're focusing on the <em>Universes Beyond: Doctor Who</em> deck <em>Paradox Power</em>.</p>
<p>As I mentioned in my <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/precon-upgrade-guide-blast-from-the-past/?utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=article_preview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upgrade Guide</a> for <em>Blast from the Past</em>, these decks are some of the most thematic precons I've seen, and that can make them incredibly hard to upgrade. With this deck, I chose to focus on what the commanders are trying to do, which is cast spells from a location other than your hand. In my upgrades I focused specifically on playing from exile.</p>
<p>Let's get into the deck.</p>
<h2>Dinos on a Spaceship</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etali, Primal Conqueror"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etali, Primal Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sword of Forge and Frontier"></div></div>
<p>Our companion, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yasmin Khan" href="#" target="_blank">Yasmin Khan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, already lets us cast from exile, so this seems to be the way the deck wants to go. My favorite cast-from-exile creature has got to be the OG <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In addition to Etali, I included the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as well as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Laelia, the Blade Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Laelia, the Blade Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plargg and Nassari" href="#" target="_blank">Plargg and Nassari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Cascade is another great way to cast from exile, so to support this we're adding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maelstrom Wanderer" href="#" target="_blank">Maelstrom Wanderer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wild-Magic Sorcerer" href="#" target="_blank">Wild-Magic Sorcerer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And a surprise pick for the deck is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Forge and Frontier" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Forge and Frontier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the newest Sword of X&amp;Y, from <em>Phyrexia: All Will Be One</em>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Paradox Power Cards Added" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Enchantments]
*1 Elven Chorus
*1 Visions of Phyrexia
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Chaos Wand
*1 Sword of Forge and Frontier
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness
*1 Etali, Primal Storm
*1 Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald
*1 Keeper of Secrets
*1 Laelia, the Blade Reforged
*1 Maelstrom Wanderer
*1 Plargg and Nassari
*1 Wild-Magic Sorcerer
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Escape to the Wilds
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
[/Sorceries]"></span></div>


<p>I also added <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald" href="#" target="_blank">Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Keeper of Secrets" href="#" target="_blank">Keeper of Secrets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a few more benefits for casting from exile. And to ensure that we know what's coming, I included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elven Chorus" href="#" target="_blank">Elven Chorus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> so that we can check the top of our library before Cascading or activating Yasmin.</p>
<h2>No More Me</h2>
<p>Making cuts from a deck is probably my least favorite thing to do, but in this deck the alternate commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Me, the Immortal" href="#" target="_blank">Me, the Immortal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, just isn't on the same page as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Thirteenth Doctor" href="#" target="_blank">The Thirteenth Doctor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yasmin Khan" href="#" target="_blank">Yasmin Khan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Me had to go.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Me, the Immortal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frost Fair Lure Fish"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dan Lewis"></div></div>
<p>In addition, I removed cards that weren't directly benefitting the cast-from-exile plan. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dan Lewis" href="#" target="_blank">Dan Lewis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bill Potts" href="#" target="_blank">Bill Potts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, while fun, felt like they fit in a different deck. The one Foretell card I removed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frost Fair Lure Fish" href="#" target="_blank">Frost Fair Lure Fish</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, needed more support other than just being a cool 7/7 with some evasion.</p>
<p>A strong argument could be made to keep <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Danny Pink" href="#" target="_blank">Danny Pink</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the deck, as he gives lesser-power creatures +1/+1 and allows you to draw a card the first time a +1/+1 counter is put on a creature each turn. However, he doesn't directly correlate with the goal of casting or benefiting from casting from exile. While he can be used for more card draw, I let him go.</p>
<p>I made 14 swaps and I feel pretty good about where the deck is going.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Paradox Power Cards Removed" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Enchantments]
*1 Become the Pilot
*1 Fugitive of the Judoon
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Bill Potts
*1 Dan Lewis
*1 Danny Pink
*1 Frost Fair Lure Fish
*1 Jenny Flint
*1 Madame Vastra
*1 Me, the Immortal
*1 Nardole, Resourceful Cyborg
*1 River Song
*1 Strax, Sontaran Nurse
*1 Thijarian Witness
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Psychic Paper
[/Artifacts]"></span></div>


<h2>Big Beats</h2>
<p>The ultimate goal of this deck is combat, benefitting from both your and your opponents' spells. Your creatures start big or get bigger and make for some impressively large creatures swinging in to deal damage. If you're stuck, continuing to cast from exile can help you with a few well-placed burn spells. Foretell <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impending Flux" href="#" target="_blank">Impending Flux</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> face down and wait for the moment for it to make the most impact. And a few Etali swings should get you right where you need to be.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Paradox Power Precon Upgrade Guide" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 The Thirteenth Doctor
*1 Yasmin Khan
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chaos Wand
*1 Confession Dial
*1 Cursed Mirror
*1 River Song&#039;s Diary
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sonic Screwdriver
*1 Sword of Forge and Frontier
*1 TARDIS
*1 Talisman of Curiosity
*1 Talisman of Impulse
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Decaying Time Loop
*1 Flatline
*1 Growth Spiral
*1 Surge of Brilliance
*1 Think Twice
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bigger on the Inside
*1 Carpet of Flowers
*1 Elven Chorus
*1 Heaven Sent
*1 Return the Past
*1 The Flux
*1 Visions of Phyrexia
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Clara Oswald
*1 Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness
*1 Etali, Primal Storm
*1 Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald
*1 Flaming Tyrannosaurus
*1 Graham O&#039;Brien
*1 Iraxxa, Empress of Mars
*1 Karvanista, Loyal Lupari // Lupari Shield
*1 Keeper of Secrets
*1 Laelia, the Blade Reforged
*1 Lunar Hatchling
*1 Maelstrom Wanderer
*1 Memory Worm
*1 Osgood, Operation Double
*1 Plargg and Nassari
*1 Ryan Sinclair
*1 Sisterhood of Karn
*1 The Foretold Soldier
*1 The Fugitive Doctor
*1 The Twelfth Doctor
*1 Wild-Magic Sorcerer
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Escape to the Wilds
*1 Farseek
*1 Impending Flux
*1 Into the Time Vortex
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Last Night Together
*1 Ponder
*1 Preordain
*1 Quantum Misalignment
*1 Search for Tomorrow
*1 Start the TARDIS
*1 Throes of Chaos
*1 Truth or Consequences
*1 Twice Upon a Time // Unlikely Meeting
*1 Wreck and Rebuild
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Desolate Lighthouse
*1 Dreamroot Cascade
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fiery Islet
*4 Forest
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Gallifrey Council Chamber
*1 Game Trail
*4 Island
*3 Mountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Ominous Cemetery
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rockfall Vale
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Temple of Abandon
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Mystery
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Vineglimmer Snarl
*1 Waterlogged Grove
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<h2>In Conclusion</h2>
<p>It might be my coming off of MTG Summit and getting to play <a href="http://mentalmisplay.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mental Misplay's</a> <a href="https://www.moxfield.com/decks/-N7GAMykgU6NmcuTkzmRQA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Etali deck</a> there, but I think this deck is going to be a lot of fun. I only made a few changes in this one because it's so flavorful and synergistic. If you want to power it up a bit more, I highly suggest looking at ways to copy Etali or another creature that allows you to cast spells from exile for free. Remember friends, free spells are good spells.</p>
<p>Let me know in the comments how you upgraded <em>Paradox Power</em> or other ways you like to cast from exile.</p>
<h3>If you liked this article, check out:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Ftoaxxzgvh"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/precon-primer-timey-wimey/">Precon Primer - Timey-Wimey</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Precon Primer - Timey-Wimey&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/precon-primer-timey-wimey/embed/#?secret=gmtkxywHGC#?secret=Ftoaxxzgvh" data-secret="Ftoaxxzgvh" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="RhukCE3Ahp"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/precon-primer-paradox-power/">Precon Primer - Paradox Power</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Precon Primer - Paradox Power&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/precon-primer-paradox-power/embed/#?secret=sE6H1uwntM#?secret=RhukCE3Ahp" data-secret="RhukCE3Ahp" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="DBhXnxdJsK"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/too-specific-top-10-youre-gonna-pay/">Too-Specific Top 10 - You're Gonna Pay</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Too-Specific Top 10 - You&#039;re Gonna Pay&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/too-specific-top-10-youre-gonna-pay/embed/#?secret=wb5Ekgfaez#?secret=DBhXnxdJsK" data-secret="DBhXnxdJsK" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


Precon Upgrade Guide - Paradox Power

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/aer/131/oath-of-ajani">Oath of Ajani</a> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CWesley+Burt%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Wesley Burt</a>)</h6>
<h1>Clear Eyes and Great Hearts Can Still Lose: The Selesnya Story</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 a perpetually endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the eleventh installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover Selesnya (white, green) cards and how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card Singleton format.</p>
<p>If you've stuck around with me until this article, you know what cards to look for in this color combination. If not, check out the articles I did in <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-green/">green</a> to see the cards I've previously shouted out in these colors.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Mentor of Heroes" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Mentor of Heroes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 3GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani, Mentor of Heroes"></div></div>
<p>This is one of the physically most difficult-to-read cards of all time. It's a bit unique to that extent as well, and it might be on a small list of planeswalkers where you're more often only ever going up in loyalty. At five mana, many might think that it's too expensive, but you want to be established anyway before this card hits the board, and sometimes that's a benefit when the card is tucked away in your command zone.</p>
<p>Three +1/+1 counters across one, two, or three creatures aren't too shabby of an ability, and these are the best colors to benefit from counters of most kinds. Filtering through your top four cards for an Aura, creature, or planeswalker lets you diversify your deck to lean heavier into one of those types. The only thing about this card that's relatively lackluster is the ability to gain 100 life. When I first saw this card, I figured it was unbeatable. How do you kill someone at 100+ life? There are quite a few answers in the commander format that do this for you and hopefully, the other players still alive in the game. The other way is to win the game yourself. There are 29 cards, according to Scryfall, that allow their controller to <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=%28oracle%3Ayou+oracle%3Awin+oracle%3Athe+oracle%3Agame%29+%28game%3Apaper%29">win the game</a>.</p>
<p>Now, some of these are much better than others, and you aren't guaranteed to win with any of these before the Ajani player uses that 100 life to kill you with something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but more often than not the -8 on this card is to be ignored. This will not demonize itself when it shows up across the table from you, and it's not oppressive, but similar to many cards in the last article, it's a solid Selesnya planeswalker.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Sleeper Agent" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Sleeper Agent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 1G(G/2 life/W)</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani, Sleeper Agent"></div></div>
<p>Two articles in a row featuring a Compleated planeswalker! This Ajani is either hitting the board on turn four with four loyalty or turn three with two loyalty, and you having two less life. To me, this version of everyone's favorite cat dad is "what if they made <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Mentor of Heroes" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Mentor of Heroes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in 2023". We see a +1 filtering ability, but we only check the top card, and we get the counter distribution from its previous iteration and the addition of vigilance but on a -3. The craziest part of this card is an emblem that gives you an alternate way to win the game. This card lets you poison your opponents out of the game as another path to victory. This sleeper agent wants you to wake up to the rolling creature storm about to hit the table.</p>
<p>While five planeswalkers after this ultimate might be a struggle, five creatures in a color combination known for ramp and cheap mana value could kill one player immediately after activation. Cards that give players poison counters are sadly more concentrated in black, and they are few and far between, but there are many ways to turbo out a table if you manage to get this card's emblem. Reliance on a planeswalker's ultimate as your main win condition isn't the most reliant way to win, but it's an interesting one. There is a world where something could break this card if specific cards supporting planeswalkers get pushed in future sets, but at the moment, this would be fine as a commander sitting across the table.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, the Greathearted" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, the Greathearted</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani, the Greathearted"></div></div>
<p>Possibly the most synergistic planeswalkers for any color combination. It puts counters on creatures, helps your mana dorks by giving vigilance, adds counters to planeswalkers, and has a fair mana cost. Selesnya colors are found in five of the top ten <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/p1-p1-counters">+1/+1-themed top commanders</a>. It also synergizes with far too many commanders across the entire GW and GWx color combinations. Now, this card isn't going to beat tables by itself. It alone does nothing other than gain you three life with its +1 ability. But there are infinite pieces that can be put around it to piece a cohesive victory together.</p>
<p>The Greathearted Ajani is going to be a card that will do everything you want a card in your deck to do, but at the same time in the 99 could be a dead draw when you're in top deck mode. It's not broken, but it's not worth leaving unsleeved when building your deck. As a commander, this would open up more build-around opportunities when you always have access to this card when you need/want it.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani Unyielding" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani Unyielding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 4GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani Unyielding"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-red/">In my article discussing mono-red</a>, I emphasized how many walkers were just slight variations of a previous version of the same character. Well, that wasn't unique to the red section of the color pie. This card is unyielding in its similarities to all previously discussed cards. We have card filtering on an uptick, counter distribution on a downtick, and a random third ability thrown in for a splash of uniqueness. At six mana, this card pumps up all the numbers around the abilities on the card. The +2 gets us the possibility of three cards as long as they're nonland permanents.</p>
<p>The unique ability of this Ajani is a -2 version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swords to Plowshares" href="#" target="_blank">Swords to Plowshares</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The counter distribution of this card is at win-the-game levels compared to other versions. Five +1/+1 counters to ALL your creatures and five loyalty counters to ALL your other planeswalkers is huge if you can get to it. This will let you ultimate multiple planeswalkers, and with some evasion added to those creatures, there aren't many tables that can withstand what you'll have in front of you. The biggest knock against this card is that it's slower. It has a high mana cost, a big loyalty number to get to this card's ultimate, and a second ability with a minus attached. Big and splashy but not big, splashy, and dangerous.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Valiant Protector" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Valiant Protector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 4GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani, Valiant Protector"></div></div>
<p>Right in the middle, we get this article's annual planeswalker-deck planeswalker. At face value, this card doesn't look as bad as it secretly is. Six mana and only four starting loyalty is not great, to begin with. We can add +1/+1 counters again, but we cannot split them on a wide board. We also get card filtering, which is guaranteed to hit a card that goes to our hand, but this time, it can only be a creature. A -11 ultimate is impossible to hit without any additional cards to help you. The worst part about this card is that even by taking off eleven loyalty counters, you still aren't going to win the game. All the counters have to go on one creature, and it gives counters based on your life total, which this card doesn't interact with in any way. This makes it a bit worse for wear. All of its abilities synergize with creatures to a degree, but the biggest pump this card gives is tied to your life total, coming from a card that is not hitting the board till mid-game at best and not doing anything after it hits till much later.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Calix, Destiny&#039;s Hand" href="#" target="_blank">Calix, Destiny&#039;s Hand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Calix, Destiny&#039;s Hand"></div></div>
<p>When we get a new character on this list, we also get a planeswalker that interacts with a card type we have not seen from Selesnya so far: enchantments. This card is strong; it does many things very well, and I've personally lost many games to it. That being said, this isn't a card that will ever be as good for enchantment strategies as any creature that's earned the short-hand "Enchantress creature" moniker. Outside of some specific outliers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zur, Eternal Schemer" href="#" target="_blank">Zur, Eternal Schemer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daxos the Returned" href="#" target="_blank">Daxos the Returned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tatsunari, Toad Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Tatsunari, Toad Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the top commanders for enchantment strategies usually do two things: Draw cards or get more mana. This card doesn't do either by itself, and depending on what enchantment you find off the +1, it might not do it at all.</p>
<p>What this card <em>can</em> do is protect itself and, more importantly, protect you from creatures and enchantments in your opponent's control, even if they get rid of Calix. The best thing this card does, without question, is a true blue "win the game" ultimate on the spot at best or "gain overwhelming value" at worst. It's -7 to get the same effect as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Replenish" href="#" target="_blank">Replenish</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of the best cards for enchantment decks. If you've ever been at a table where someone resolved this ultimate or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Replenish" href="#" target="_blank">Replenish</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the game is most likely over for all the other players. The four mana value and the disability to draw cards/make mana by itself makes this card unlikely to be put in the command zone over the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand" href="#" target="_blank">Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even the creature version of this character <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Calix, Guided by Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Calix, Guided by Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huatli, Radiant Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Huatli, Radiant Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Huatli, Radiant Champion"></div></div>
<p>Another planeswalker that wants you to have both creatures and planeswalkers to get its full potential. Luckily, the Selesnya color combination is very good at making tokens, and the planeswalkers within this color are part of why they are so good. This is a planeswalker that can ultimately do so with frightening speed. A few mana dorks and small creatures can get you to the -8 needed for this card to have an emblem in as little as one turn, and this is without something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And this is an ultimate you want to get to.</p>
<p>The -1 on this card is, for the most part as good as blank text, but even with low starting loyalty at three, you could very easily tick down when this first comes in and not be worried too much about losing it since your uptick could net you three to five loyalty in most decks the next turn. This could be run in the command zone similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Sleeper Agent" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Sleeper Agent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, where you "win the game" with its ultimate. Still, this can also provide overwhelming value even if you can't close out the game immediately. A sneaky planeswalker that can catch people by surprise.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huatli, the Sun&#039;s Heart" href="#" target="_blank">Huatli, the Sun&#039;s Heart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2(G/W)</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Huatli, the Sun&#039;s Heart"></div></div>
<p>It's a bit of a lackluster way to end the article with this planeswalker. From a set everyone is all too familiar with, <em>War of the Spark</em>, we see a planeswalker with a static ability, a downtick and nothing more. This card will never be more than part of the 99 in the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doran, the Siege Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Doran, the Siege Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcades, the Strategist" href="#" target="_blank">Arcades, the Strategist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The static on this card is something those decks often need to function at full capacity, and you'll gain a big chunk of like every time you get to -3 this card, but you only have two activations without help. This card will lead a deck if you want to do Selesnya walls, but other than that, I don't predict seeing it outside of the 99 of the other decks.</p>
<h1><strong>Wrap Up</strong></h1>
<p>So far, this has been the least colorful of all the color combinations. Selesnya is not a "flashy" color combination, but what it does, it does well. In the case of the planeswalkers spending four mana to put counters on your creatures, sometimes getting card selection, and maybe winning the game is what it does. I also don't think any planeswalker on here has any chance of being banned with a rule change making them all legal as a commander. Ajani and Huatli have strong ultimates on some of their planeswalkers, but they are not strong on their own, and sometimes, when you're looking for your commander or the card that wins the game, you need it to be able to go it alone without relying as much on other cards.</p>
<p>What this color combination does have going for it maybe above all else, is the single planeswalker that I would rate as bad, and it's one from a planeswalker deck product, so that's not necessarily a surprise. Selesnya seems to thrive on four-mana curves and creature synergies and not much else. If anything, this might provide proof that after going through all the single-color and half of the dual-color planeswalkers, stability might be achievable on the horizon. In my next article, we have the color combination synonymous with death and taxes, Orzhov. With ten planeswalkers split into only two characters, we should end up getting more variety than seen here.</p>


edh

Brew For Your Buck - 2023 Review

Brew For Your Buck - Descent into Cavnica

Precon Primer - Explorers of the Deep

Wombo Combo - Mono-Blue Edition

Brew For Your Buck - A Dedication To A Friend, Aristocrats And Spellslinger

Precon Upgrade Guide - Paradox Power

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

Wombo Combo - Mono-Black Edition

From the Brim to the Trim – Flooding Opponents and Drying Up Budget Alike

Brew For Your Bug - Going Infinant