<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos" href="#" target="_blank">Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Illustrated by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/fedyczak">Bartek Fedyczak</a></h6>
<h2>An Unexpected Challenger</h2>
<p>If, by some wild coincidence, that opening line makes sense in <em>Assassin's Creed</em> lore, please assume I did it on purpose. But if it doesn't, that means I was referring to my reaction upon seeing the ranking of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos" href="#" target="_blank">Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in PDHREC. When the <em>Assassin's Creed</em> set came out, I did take note of Alexios, but I pretty quickly dismissed him as a gimmicky Voltron commander, comparing him to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tahngarth, First Mate" href="#" target="_blank">Tahngarth, First Mate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I mean, they both do the same thing, right? Your opponents can use them to attack your opponents, and if you stack them with Equipment, they can dole out a ton of damage. They even have the same mana cost! But if you look a bit closer, it becomes pretty apparent that Alexios is a much stronger version of Tahngarth, and that's why he's trending as a pauper commander.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tahngarth, First Mate"></div></div>
<p>The first thing that Alexios has going for him is trample. I've played a lot of Voltron commanders, and let me tell you, it makes a huge difference! You really d0n't want to be committing six or seven cards in your deck to just giving your commander trample, but it's absolutely necessary for a Voltron commander, and if your general doesn't already have it, you don't get much of a choice.</p>
<p>Then, there's the clause that Alexios can't be sacrificed. Yes, you could always choose to just not give Tahngarth to an opponent with a sacrifice outlet, but then you're losing out on an attack, and of course, there's always the risk that they have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Dispute" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Dispute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in hand. Losing your commander that way is a massive feel-bad, and I'm so glad they fixed the issue for Alexios.</p>
<p>But I think the biggest difference is that Alexios can attack alone. Tahngarth only triggers if your opponents swing, so if they don't have a disposable 1/1 or a creature they feel safe attacking with, Tahngarth isn't attacking either. Alexios doesn't have that problem: each and every player gets a turn with him, starting on their upkeep, and he's more or less guaranteed to be attacking every turn, of course, because your opponents might as well.</p>
<p>So that's Alexios. A four-mana beater that will attack your opponents every single turn instead of every turn cycle. What more could you want? Oh, what's that? He also grows every single time he attacks? Okay, maybe it does get better. The point is, Alexios is a huge upgrade of Tahngarth, and now I feel pretty foolish for not recognizing that, but there's only one way to redeem my misjudgement, and that's to build a sick deck around the guy. Let's see what we can cook up.</p>
<h2>Auras and Equipment</h2>
<p>So, we're building a Voltron commander. What does that mean? Equipment and enchantments, of course. Alexios does a pretty good job of growing by himself, but there's still a myriad of cool things we can put on him. First, evasion. In pauper, we've got a ton of different wings to choose from, ranging from the hastily made <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cobbled Wings" href="#" target="_blank">Cobbled Wings</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to the far more elegant <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gilded Pinions" href="#" target="_blank">gilded ones</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There are wings that give haste, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloak of the Bat" href="#" target="_blank">Cloak of the Bat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and there are wings that represent iconic Grecian parables in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wings of Hubris" href="#" target="_blank">Wings of Hubris</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cobbled Wings"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gilded Pinions"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloak of the Bat"></div></div>
<p>But evasion does come in more forms than flying. The menace granted by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beamtown Beatstick" href="#" target="_blank">Beamtown Beatstick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sticky Fingers" href="#" target="_blank">Sticky Fingers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does wonders, and the intimidate from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Executioner&#039;s Hood" href="#" target="_blank">Executioner&#039;s Hood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a ton of work as well. Of course, the best of the bunch is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whispersilk Cloak" href="#" target="_blank">Whispersilk Cloak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a card that practically nullifies the rest of our deck. It gives perfect evasion and perfect protection. I mean, as soon as you draw this card, you can just let Alexios go to town without a sliver of worry. It's that good!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Beamtown Beatstick"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Executioner&#039;s Hood"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Whispersilk Cloak"></div></div>
<p>Then, there are some Equipment that just benefit us, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldvein Pick" href="#" target="_blank">Goldvein Pick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prying Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Prying Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will create a Treasure token for us every time Alexios connects. With those triggering four times a turn cycle, we'll never have to worry about mana. Same with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shiny Impetus" href="#" target="_blank">Shiny Impetus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which also has the benefit of forcing Alexios to attack. Plus, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Explorer&#039;s Scope" href="#" target="_blank">Explorer&#039;s Scope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has the potential to flood our board with lands.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goldvein Pick"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prying Blade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shiny Impetus"></div></div>
<h2>Always use Protection</h2>
<p>But unfortunately, Whispersilk Cloak is one of a kind, and we won't find shroud on a single other red common, so we'll have to figure out some way to keep Alexios safe, and we're gonna have to do it without hexproof, counterspells, or indestructiblity, because, well, protection spells in mono-red pauper are kind of scarce. The literal best card I could find beyond Whispersilk Cloak is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Chirurgeon" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Chirurgeon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a one-mana Goblin that can sacrifice itself to regenerate Alexios. Once. Yeah, it's pretty bad. I mean, there's also <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pyroblast" href="#" target="_blank">Pyroblast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Red Elemental Blast" href="#" target="_blank">Red Elemental Blast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which are strong cards of course, but they're completely dead in the water when it comes to a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doom Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Doom Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so we're gonna have to get pretty creative.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Chirurgeon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pyroblast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Red Elemental Blast"></div></div>
<p>I went through a lot of strategies here. Blink cards? Nonexistent. Bouncing Alexios to hand? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dead // Gone" href="#" target="_blank">Dead // Gone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is our only option, and that's a pretty inefficient strategy anyways. I pretty quickly came to the conclusion that our only option is to start talking politics. Basically, if you bring up the current state of the American government during a game of <em>Magic</em>, your opponents won't be able to cast a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> through the argument that breaks out.</p>
<p>Okay, obviously we're not gonna do that, but I wasn't kidding when I said we're gonna play politics. Think about it: our commander's terrifying, but only for one opponent at a time, the one who's being attacked. If we can negate our own threat in response to the threat of removal, our commander should be totally safe. Here's what's gonna happen. On our turn, we enchant our commander with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire Whip" href="#" target="_blank">Fire Whip</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Veteran&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Veteran&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, cards that lets us tap our commander at any time, even when we no longer control it. Then, we have a way to remotely prevent our commander from attacking. If we broadcast this information to the table, then we can trade an attack for our commander's safety.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dead // Gone"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fire Whip"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Veteran&#039;s Voice"></div></div>
<p>This strategy does suffer if our opponents know how to bluff well, and often we'll just have to gamble, but if we can keep two thirds of our opponents' goodwill, we should have a lot of success. In addition, we can also use this strategy to prevent the archenemy from using Alexios to win the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Pauper EDH - Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Abrade
*1 Big Score
*1 Dead // Gone
*1 Demand Answers
*1 Lightning Bolt
*1 Pyroblast
*1 Raking Claws
*1 Raze the Effigy
*1 Red Elemental Blast
*1 Seething Song
*1 Siege Smash
*1 Temur Battle Rage
*1 Thrill of Possibility
*1 Uncaged Fury
*1 Unexpected Windfall
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Alchemist&#039;s Vial
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Armory of Iroas
*1 Beamtown Beatstick
*1 Bladed Pinions
*1 Brass Knuckles
*1 Ceremonial Knife
*1 Cliffhaven Kitesail
*1 Cloak of the Bat
*1 Cobbled Wings
*1 Executioner&#039;s Hood
*1 Explorer&#039;s Scope
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Fire Diamond
*1 Gilded Pinions
*1 Gimli&#039;s Axe
*1 Goldvein Pick
*1 Heart-Piercer Bow
*1 Lotus Petal
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Prismatic Lens
*1 Prying Blade
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
*1 Wings of Hubris
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Claws of Valakut
*1 Fire Whip
*1 Insolence
*1 Latulla&#039;s Orders
*1 Madcap Skills
*1 Shiny Impetus
*1 Sticky Fingers
*1 Vessel of Volatility
*1 Veteran&#039;s Voice
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Assault Strobe
*1 Coronation of Chaos
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Glimpse the Impossible
*1 Grab the Prize
*1 Reckless Impulse
*1 Tormenting Voice
*1 Witch&#039;s Mark
*1 Wrenn&#039;s Resolve
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Forgotten Cave
*36 Mountain
[/Lands]
[Creatures]
*1 Generator Servant
*1 Goblin Chirurgeon
*1 Goldhound
*1 Iron Myr
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
[/Creatures]"></span></div>
<p>And that's the whole deck. Not much to it, huh? It's pretty basic, just a Voltron deck with a cool commander, but I think calling it Voltron is a bit misleading, because, at its heart, this a red chaos deck, designed to throw around as much damage as possible. Who knows what will happen when our commander hits the board. Are we gonna become problem #1? Or will our opponents go to town with our massive general? It's a mystery, and I for one am thrilled to find out.</p>


Pauper Commander - Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos

<p>We hope you're ready to put your <em>Magic: The Gathering </em>knowledge to the test.</p>
<p>Spellify, the Hangman-inspired <em>Magic </em>trivia game, <a href="https://edhrec.com/games/spellify" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is now proudly hosted by EDHREC</a>.</p>
<p>Formerly a feature of Commander's Herald, the game's been a hit with fans since it debuted in March of 2024.</p>
<p>For the uninitiated, Spellify tasks players with figuring out the name of a random <em>Magic </em>card with the text, art, and mana cost obscured. The color of the card and the typeline remain.</p>
<p>Players guess letters, numbers, and symbols to fill in the blanks and provide more information, and if the guess is correct, the corresponding symbol will appear in its rightful place on the card. Only 13 guesses are allowed, so be careful!</p>
<p>And if all that sounds too easy, there's also a Hard Mode that further obscures the card, removing clues such as the card's color and type.</p>
<p>Coming soon, players will be able to tie their EDHREC accounts to the game, allowing for progress and statistics to be tracked - all the proof you need that you know <em>Magic </em>better than your friends. Be sure to share your results on social media, and happy guessing!</p>


Spellify Launches on EDHREC

<p>Some people are naturally curious. Many of them are born curious, and many others still have curiosity thrust upon them. If you are one of those in the world curious about what's out there beyond it, you're certainly in for a treat.</p>
<p>Assuming you got here at the time of writing, you may not yet know what <em>Edge of Eternities</em> preview card we here at EDHREC have the pleasure of revealing to you, dear reader.</p>
<p>However, we got not one, but <em>two</em> preview cards to show to you today! And, predicting that oh, so insatiable curiosity you simply must have, I must admit I'd like to sate that curiosity just as much as you want it satisfied in turn.</p>
<p>A huge thank-you to <a href="http://magic.wizards.com">Wizards of the Coast</a> for allowing us the opportunity to preview two cards from <em>Edge of Eternities</em>. It's a chance that we will always cherish and appreciate. And with that, let's get on with it!</p>
<h2>Pulsar Squadron Ace</h2>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pulsar-Squadron-Ace_EN_HRR.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-158815 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pulsar-Squadron-Ace_EN_HRR.jpg" alt="" width="716" height="1000" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pulsar-Squadron-Ace_EN_HRR.jpg 716w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pulsar-Squadron-Ace_EN_HRR-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" /></a></p>
<p>In a vacuum (perhaps the vacuum of space?), Pulsar Squadron Ace is a tough card to evaluate. After all, we are <em>just now</em> getting Spacecraft cards for the very first time, right?</p>
<p>As such, it's remarkably difficult for us to properly gauge the power level of this white uncommon. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Seriema" href="#" target="_blank">The Seriema</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seems like a fantastic fit for Pulsar Squadron Ace, for the mere merit of its ability to dig for a Spacecraft. That much of an interaction seems pretty intuitively obvious.</p>
<p>The Seriema aside, however, the space (Get it? "Space"?) to run Pulsar Squadron Ace seems rather thin. It is clear that a card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines" href="#" target="_blank">Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might like Pulsar Squadron Ace, as might <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Preston, the Vanisher" href="#" target="_blank">Preston, the Vanisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brago, King Eternal" href="#" target="_blank">Brago, King Eternal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>But let's face facts here; that's probably most true if PSA is in one of those decks using a Spacecraft theme.</p>
<p>And speaking of cards that like blink effects and effects upon entry, allow us to showcase our second exclusive preview card:</p>
<h2>Rescue Skiff</h2>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rescue-Skiff_EN_HRR.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-158816 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rescue-Skiff_EN_HRR.jpg" alt="" width="716" height="1000" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rescue-Skiff_EN_HRR.jpg 716w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rescue-Skiff_EN_HRR-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" /></a></p>
<p>Rescue Skiff, quite frankly, pairs as well with PSA as a ribeye steak might pair with a Zinfandel. Don't care for red meat or red wine? Well, luckily for the chef, this is the Edge; nobody can hear you complain.</p>
<p>As it stands, Rescue Skiff is a more expansive <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zombify" href="#" target="_blank">Zombify</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect in white that can reanimate an enchantment on entry instead if you prefer.</p>
<p>Sure, the Skiff costs <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> more to cast than a Zombify (replacing Zombify's <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for a single <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>). That's just the cost of versatility at uncommon, however.</p>
<p>But the best part about Rescue Skiff is its capacity to be blinked in and out. This is achievable by commanders like Brago. Plus, its ability can be doubled-upon by Elesh Norn, et cetera.</p>
<p>You don't have the "if Rescue Skiff was cast" clause here. Therefore, the Spacecraft can enter freely and still do its sworn mission. That mission? Well, <em>rescue</em>, of course!</p>
<h2>See More Edge of Eternities Spoilers</h2>
<p>In conclusion, we here at EDHREC hope we've slaked your curiosity. Once again, many thanks to Wizards of the Coast for presenting us with this opportunity.</p>
<p>If you want more content from us from <em>Edge of Eternities</em>, be sure to check out our dedicated <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/edge-of-eternities-news-and-set-reviews">News and Reviews page</a>.</p>
<p>If you're seeing this immediately as it's gone live, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@EDHRECast/videos">the newest EDHRECast video is live right now as well</a>! Be sure to grab some popcorn and settle down to see what the guys have to say about these two preview cards.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="The REAL Reason Commander Players HATE Combo | EDHRECast 374 | Magic: the Gathering | Commander" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CB_p_2V3IuU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>In the meantime, what would you do to make the most of Pulsar Squadron Ace? What about Rescue Skiff? Do either of these cards belong in non-Spacecraft themed Commander decks? Sound off below!</p>


EDHREC's Exclusive Edge of Eternities Preview Cards

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dreamtide Whale" href="#" target="_blank">Dreamtide Whale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://ronspearsart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron Spears</a></em></p>
<div></p>
<p>As we move into the second half of 2025 it's once more time for another Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest.</p>
<p>This is a monthly contest with a different theme each month. Your goal is to build a Commander-legal deck that fulfills the prompt in a creative or unique fashion. At the end of each month, three finalists will be selected for you to vote on.</p>
<p>Whoever gets the most votes will be crowned the winner, although all three finalists receive a prize.</p>
<p>This month we're exploring what's possible with a transformational sideboard in commander. Similar in concept to a modular deck, the goal of a transformational sideboard is to add as much variety to your deck in as little space as possible.</p>
<p></div>
<div></p>
<h2>What’s the Contest All About?</h2>
<p>Working within the parameters of the prompt provided below, construct a decklist with your own creative spin. Three chosen finalists will be awarded <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">store credit to use on Cardsphere</a>.</p>
<p><strong>For July's deck building contest - </strong>build a Commander-legal deck with a 20 card transformational "sideboard." This should be 20 cards that you can swap into your deck to change it's theme, power level, or to an entirely different commander.</p>
<p>Decks will be judged on their creativity and originality, as well as how effectively the sideboard transforms the deck. Submissions should also clearly indicate what cards would be swapped out through the use of a custom category.</p>
<p>See this deck, which swaps between creatures and planeswalkers, as an example: <a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/13608220" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://archidekt.com/decks/13608220</a>.</p>
<p></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kenrith, the Returned King"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Muldrotha, the Gravetide"></div></div>
<p>Commander decks are large, but somehow never large enough to fit all the cards I want. Especially for commanders that easily support multiple themes, I invariably end up with a pile of 150 cards that all support different strategies.</p>
<p>Instead of having to put all those extra cards away, why not set them aside to swap in later? This let's you easily test different versions of your deck, or just quickly vary the play experience from game to game. Especially for themes that have significant overlap, like Enchantress, Tokens, and Lands, you can also shift the primary focus of your deck from one to another to stop a deck from ever feeling stale.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rhystic Study"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smothering Tithe"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Underworld Breach"></div></div>
<p>A transformational sideboard could also be used to help match the power level of a given pod. When playing at a local game store or convention it's helpful to be flexible with the strength of your deck. Swapping in or out <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a>, or just adjusting some of the more focused cards in the deck to match a more relaxed pod.</p>
<p>This also saves space compared to carrying around multiple decks, and is a great approach for rediscovering the magic in an old favorite by reintroducing old cards you cut for upgrades.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lord Windgrace"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yurlok of Scorch Thrash"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Korvold, Fae-Cursed King"></div></div>
<p>Taking this concept as far as possible, you could even swap your commander for a different one, along with a set of cards to better support them. This is a great way to get extra mileage out of an expensive mana base, compare how two similar commanders actually play, or get even more variety in your games.</p>
<p>At its most extreme, you could change both the commander and theme of your deck, functionally fitting two decks into 120 cards. How creative can you get with 20 extra cards?</p>
<h2>How to Participate</h2>
<ul>
<li>Brew an EDH/Commander-legal deck on <a href="https://archidekt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt</a> that satisfies the prompt.</li>
<li>Any unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration are allowed.</li>
<li>Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are not allowed.</li>
<li>Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are not allowed.</li>
<li>Strictly one deck submitted per user.</li>
</ul>
<p>Reply to the Archidekt news post, or submission post on the <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt Discord</a> with a link to your deck before <strong>9:00 pm EST</strong> (UTC -4, currently) on <strong>Wednesday, July 9, 2025</strong> (do not submit the same deck in multiple places).</p>
<p>Only one submission per user! From the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!</p>
<div></p>
<p>On <strong>Wednesday, July 16, 2025</strong>, we’ll announce three finalists via the Archidekt Discord and a brief article on EDHREC highlighting each deck.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/sets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Each finalist will be awarded credit to use on Cardsphere</a>. The value of the credit is in US dollars and depends on the finalist's placement in deck upvotes at the end of the week-long polling period:</p>
<ul>
<li>1st Place Prize - $250</li>
<li>2nd Place Prize - $150</li>
<li>3rd Place Prize - $100</li>
</ul>
<p></div>
<p>Finalists will be contacted via email or Discord (depending on where they submitted) regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on <strong>Wednesday, July 23, 2025</strong>.</p>
<p>Please note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free - <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/signup?referrer=archidekt_contest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a> if you don't have an account already!</p>
<p>Here are the <a href="https://archidekt.com/contestRules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official contest rules</a>. If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or join the Archidekt <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public Discord server</a>. We look forward to seeing what you all come up with!</p>


Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest - July 2025

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Master of Keys" href="#" target="_blank">The Master of Keys</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Illustrated by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CWisnu+Tan%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wisnu Tan</a></em></p>
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<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?</p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"</p>
<p>I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza and a lot of music I like came out recently.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kefka, Dancing Mad"></div></div>
<p><i>Here's what I look like listening to the new The Callous Daoboys record!</i></p>
<p>This week, teaching and tanking.</p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
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<h2>HELLO, MIKE</h2>
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<p><em>First off, I have been enjoying your articles for the better part of a year. I love reading about navigating difficult situations. Hope you get to continue writing these articles for a long time to come.</em></p>
<p><em>I was in a situation at my LGS the other day that although I felt fine about how I navigated the situation, I was left asking myself was there a better way to go about it. The crux of the situation was I was playing a game with two players just learning the game and a third player that is an established player, but wanted to test a new deck. I was able to build up a commanding position which I used to take out the established player and proceeded to purposely take myself out of the game in order to let a newer player have a chance to win.</em></p>
<p><em>To give the full picture of the story, I have been playing Magic since 2011 and Commander since 2018. The established player happens to be one of the store owners' children so I have played against him a few times and I would say we are friendly to each other each time. I will refer to him as J.</em></p>
<p><em>Prior to starting this game, I was actually helping J find some cards for the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zur the Enchanter" href="#" target="_blank">Zur the Enchanter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck he had just put together, particularly a <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> from a stack of </em>Champions of Kamigawa<em> they had just gotten in. I love anything to do with Kamigawa so I was more than happy to look through cards. Shortly after we finished failing to find a <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>, some people came into the store asking to play a game and if we would be up for helping some of their friends learn to play. We both said sure.</em></p>
<p><em>One thing I really love about my LGS is that they keep about a dozen or so precons that they will let people freely play with. The two new players grabbed from these the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bello, Bard of the Brambles" href="#" target="_blank">Bello, Bard of the Brambles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuma, Proud Protector" href="#" target="_blank">Yuma, Proud Protector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. I followed suit to keep it fair picking up the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aminatou, Veil Piercer" href="#" target="_blank">Aminatou, Veil Piercer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. J was excited to try his new Zur deck.</em></p>
<p><em>Once we got started, I expressed that if the new players wanted help, all they had to do was ask. The new players also had a friend sitting out the game to help them along. The early game went on at a typical pace. We all had a few creatures in play and I had <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aminatou, Veil Piercer" href="#" target="_blank">Aminatou, Veil Piercer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> out and J removed. her. I joked about coming for him also since he certainly seemed to have the strongest deck at the table. J tutored a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> out from a Zur trigger which kinda validated my feelings about his deck's power. The new player with the Bello deck had removal and I convinced him to take care of the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I pointed out to J "hey, that's a game changer, a card so strong that it puts his deck at minimum in bracket three." I could tell J wanted to see his deck really do its thing, but that I was trying to keep him from going off. I told myself this was to let new players get to have some fun, but hey it is also a good strategy.</em></p>
<p><em>The next phase of the game is where I created a crazy dominating board state. I achieved this with the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demon of Fate&#039;s Design" href="#" target="_blank">Demon of Fate&#039;s Design</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> I had on board, the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Redress Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Redress Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> I had from my opening hand and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Master of Keys" href="#" target="_blank">The Master of Keys</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which I had just top decked. After thinking about how the Demon of Fate lets me pay life into the X value of The Master of Keys I thought you know what let's show some new players a crazy play. I paid 23 life to cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Master of Keys" href="#" target="_blank">The Master of Keys</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and milled 40 cards. Then I cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Redress Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Redress Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, bringing back all the enchantments and artifacts from the graveyard to play. Needless to say this was a board state where cards are fighting for space on the playmat and there is almost no hope to catch every trigger. I passed the turn and once it got back to me, I took out J and brought the new players life totals low.</em></p>
<p><em>In order to let the new players have fun, I used the several effects that let me pay life to cast spells to bring my own life total down to one. The Yuma player had been bringing a Desert that pings for one damage in and out of his graveyard the last couple turns so like I was hoping he took me out and won the game. I was able to talk to J after and told him I was so close, but lost to a land coming in.</em></p>
<p><em>Afterwards, I thought it is hard to make a nice game for new players, but also let someone with a deck they are excited to try out when it is a bit stronger than the other decks. Having known J for a while, I knew he wouldn't hold back any big plays even against new players, but then I went and did a really big play and justified that it was to protect the game experience for new players. Then I hoped the new players wouldn't see/feel that I kind of threw the game in hopes they could win.</em></p>
<p><strong><em>So was I the Bolas for targeting J and popping off hard against new players? Or was I the </em><em>Bolas for purposely losing the game?</em></strong></p>
<p><em>Best,</em><br />
<em>Pop-Off Precon</em></p>
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<h2>HOWDY, POP-OFF PRECON!</h2>
<p>Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.</p>
<p>Readers of the column will recognize elements of this submission from previous entries. Lots of folks have disagreed with me before when I said I think it's fine to sandbag some plays to make sure new players get to experience the fun of <em>Magic</em> by letting them have moments. We've all fallen in love with this game at some point and, while some people contend that it's possible to love the game by losing to something really impressive and cool, I think if people get the chance to actually pull off the cool thing, they'll be hooked. Appreciating the cool stuff that happens when you lose can still be true and can come with time. That's coming from me, the guy who loves to lose to a bunch of stuff he's never seen before.</p>
<p>This story has the added wrinkle of a precon game having an outlier in a newly tuned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zur the Enchanter" href="#" target="_blank">Zur the Enchanter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. Immediately at Bracket 3 thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Zur is a big bad of old times. I remember getting into Commander and Zur being one of the biggest groaners that a player could flip up in the command zone. Add to that the fact that J doesn't pull punches and OP wants to make sure the newbies enjoy the game, we've got a story!</p>
<p>I think that keeping all of this to yourself was the move. If you're hoping to pull something like this off, you don't want the new players to feel like you're a lioness playing with their cub pretending to be scared. Conversely, you don't want the experienced player to feel like you're only taking them out because of the new players. By focusing on J, objectively playing the most powerful of the decks, the rationale holds water.</p>
<p>The big play with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Master of Keys" href="#" target="_blank">The Master of Keys</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was cool as heck, especially since you're showing off how even an entry level product can go off in this awesome game. Bringing yourself to low enough to be killed is fine and playing up being overwhelmed by your board to miss the Desert play might have solidified a fun memory for the new players. I don't think you did anything wrong. Could you have not gone so hard and still shown off how cool things are? Absolutely.</p>
<p>I think the real issue is that the pregame discussion didn't seem to be much beyond picking your decks and offering to help. I understand that J was eager to try out his new deck, but personally, I'd have shelved that plan in favor of grabbing a precon of my own for this game. You're telling me that your family owns the LGS and you play a bunch, but you can't just wait for an appropriate pod to throw down Zur? Come on, buddy! You'll play it soon!</p>
<p>Anyway, lots of people have already expressed that they disagree with me about letting new players win or have their moments by sandbagging plays. Lots of people have also agreed with me on it. Either way, while that's what's being asked about here, I think the bigger deal is the decision to pick Zur for this match.</p>
<p>Not the Bolas for Pop-Off Precon, but J, buddy, come on!</p>
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