Too-Specific Top 10 - Life Debt

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prosper, Tome Bound" href="#" target="_blank">Prosper, Tome Bound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/indus">Yongjae Choi</a>)</h6>
<h1>Live Long and Prosper</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>Challenge the Stats</em>! This series is based on the awesome <a href="https://edhrecast.libsyn.com/">EDHRECast</a> segment, where we pick out 10 cards for a commander that we think are overplayed, underplayed, or sleepers, to challenge EDHREC’s data. Remember, these are merely comments on the data, and card choices made by <em>you,</em> the deckbrewer, for any reason such as flavor, budget, art, or fun are always most important and are what keep our format unique and awesome.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prosper, Tome Bound"></div></div>
<p>For this article, I'm going to challenge one of my favorite new commanders, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prosper, Tome Bound" href="#" target="_blank">Prosper, Tome Bound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Prosper is the most popular precon commander from <em>Adventures in the Forgotten Realm</em>, and it's easy to see why. He's a card and mana advantage engine, has interesting play patterns, and can be built in many different ways.</p>
<p>Looking at his EDHREC page, we can see an interesting split between a) low-power and high-power, and b) low-budget and high-budget. Don't be intimidated by the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer" href="#" target="_blank">Ragavans</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dockside Extortionist" href="#" target="_blank">Docksides</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the page! For every one of these big-ticket cards, there's a budget replacement waiting in the wings.</p>
<p>These challenges will focus on the underplayed and sleeper cards, since those tend to get drowned out on the pages of precon commanders. We're going to challenge the data from all the Prosper decks out there (1,165 at time of writing), and you can see how often those cards are played in parentheses (%). Here we go!</p>
<hr />
<h1>Challenges</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Underplayed</h2>
<hr />
<h3>1. Forsworn Paladin (6%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forsworn Paladin"></div></div>
<p>If you're playing a Signet to get out Prosper on turn three, try including the Paladin and see how it plays. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forsworn Paladin" href="#" target="_blank">Forsworn Paladin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> functions as a mana rock by getting Prosper out a turn early, but it has a lot of upside later, too! We can give any creature deathtouch, making combat a nightmare for our opponents. We can also hold up mana to make Treasure and bluff instants.</p>
<p>I feel the same way about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kalain, Reclusive Painter" href="#" target="_blank">Kalain, Reclusive Painter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She helps us get Prosper out on turn 3, and she has the nifty upside of making our creatures <em>Monstrous</em> (or our opponents' creatures <em>Monstrous</em> when we steal them).</p>
<h3>2. Share the Spoils (49%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Share the Spoils"></div></div>
<p>Half of players are cutting this card out of the Prosper precon, but this card gives me the warm fuzzies. It's super fun to get the whole table talking about who's going to play what. Even if politics isn't your thing, we get to break symmetry on this card because we'll collect Treasure as we cast things, we get first crack at the revealed cards, <em>and</em> we'll disrupt our opponents' strategies because we'll see what they have coming! Our opponents can already see what we have coming most of the time, thanks to Prosper's exile ability, so we don't really care about another effect that reveals our next play.</p>
<p>I had a game recently against a combo deck where <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Share the Spoils" href="#" target="_blank">Share the Spoils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stole three tutors from them. It got the whole table talking and was a great time.</p>
<p>There are a few other cards from the precon that warrant a test drive before cutting them. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Endeavor" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Endeavor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been pretty nutty for me. If we're hoping for a high roll on either Treasure or a board wipe, we'll probably get one roll high enough, and two high rolls feels epic. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bucknard&#039;s Everfull Purse" href="#" target="_blank">Bucknard&#039;s Everfull Purse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another one a lot of folks are cutting. I think it plays better than it reads. It will probably help us get Prosper out on turn 3, which is all I care about for this deck's mana acceleration. We're also breaking symmetry on it if we have other Treasure synergies in our deck (hello, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marionette Master" href="#" target="_blank">Marionette Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<h3>3. Inspiring Statuary (19%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inspiring Statuary"></div></div>
<p>The price on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspiring Statuary" href="#" target="_blank">Inspiring Statuary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is steadily creeping up with every Treasure card that's printed, and for good reason. A mana rock that turns all of our Treasure into <em>permanent </em>mana rocks is a huge mana advantage. Prosper sneezes and five Treasure tokens appear, but now they can tap for mana every turn, instead of just sacrificing themselves!</p>
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<h2>Sleepers</h2>
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<h3>4. Mindleecher (2%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindleecher"></div></div>
<p>Sometimes it takes too long to wait for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stolen Strategy" href="#" target="_blank">Stolen Strategy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to trigger. Mindleecher gives us that effect right away, and we can play those cards for as long as they're exiled! I also really like the option of turning our commander into an evasive threat. Not long ago, I had a dream come true of mutating <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindleecher" href="#" target="_blank">Mindleecher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> onto <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer" href="#" target="_blank">Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz!</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/edhrec-image-rotated.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-70481 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/edhrec-image-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/edhrec-image-225x300.jpg 225w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/edhrec-image-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/edhrec-image-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/edhrec-image-rotated.jpg 1512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a></p>
<h3>5. Scheming Symmetry (3%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scheming symmetry"></div></div>
<p>In a Prosper deck that cares about exiling opponents' top cards (as many of them seem to do), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scheming Symmetry" href="#" target="_blank">Scheming Symmetry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can easily be a one-sided double-tutor when we exile whatever card they find with our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gonti, Lord of Luxury" href="#" target="_blank">Gonti, Lord of Luxury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <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>! Better yet, make a deal if the table needs a removal spell to take down the archenemy! Did someone keep a two-lander and is missing land drops? Give them a tutor! You know they won't win on the spot, but ask for a favor later in the game.</p>
<h3>6. Aetherworks Marvel (Appears in 1 deck. Probably mine.)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="aetherworks marvel"></div></div>
<p>I'm surprised this one hasn't caught on more. Whenever we happen to spend six Treasure, we get a free spell out of the top six cards of our library. Was there a board wipe that killed all our creatures? That's no problem, Marvel will give us a free spell every turn for probably the rest of the game.</p>
<h3>7. Comet Storm (2%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="comet storm"></div></div>
<p>Instants are particularly good with Prosper, since we can cast them after he exiles a card on our end step. Heck, I'm elated when Prosper exiles something as simple as a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spikefield Hazard" href="#" target="_blank">Spikefield Hazard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> instead of a regular land, just so I can get instant-speed Treasure. Even if we're casting X spells for 0 and making a Treasure token, that feels pretty good. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Comet Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Comet Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a win condition and a removal spell, but we can also just pay two mana and make a Treasure if we want to.</p>
<p>Heck, I'd even cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnable Pact" href="#" target="_blank">Damnable Pact</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rolling Earthquake" href="#" target="_blank">Rolling Earthquake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for X=0 to get a Treasure, and those <em>also</em> double as win conditions!</p>
<h3>8. Fathom-Fleet Swordjack (2%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="fathom-fleet swordjack"></div></div>
<p>Most of the win conditions for Prosper are pretty budget, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marionette Master" href="#" target="_blank">Marionette Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mayhem Devil" href="#" target="_blank">Mayhem Devil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disciple of the Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Disciple of the Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nadier&#039;s Nightblade" href="#" target="_blank">Nadier&#039;s Nightblade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Fireweaver" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Fireweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so we don't need to go looking for budget alternatives to game-ending cards. One situation I sometimes see, however, is if we want to tune <em>down</em> our deck. Prosper is <em>powerful</em>, and you might accidentally punch too high for your table. If you find that's the case, check out this fun Pirate! Whenever it attacks, it'll deal damage equal to the number of artifacts you control. The kicker here is that it has <em>Encore</em>, so it has the potential to wipe out our opponents if it winds up in our graveyard. Both of these situations are more interactable, meaning there will be more tension and resolution as the threat is dealt with or the game is won, making a more interesting story for a lower-powered table.</p>
<p>Another fun casual win condition I love is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nettlecyst" href="#" target="_blank">Nettlecyst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Steal an opponent's creature, give it +20/+20 with all the Treasure we have laying around, and smash into the red zone!</p>
<h3>9. Ghirapur Orrery (1%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="ghirapur orrery"></div></div>
<p>Thanks to Mike Carrozza for this pick! We can easily clear out our hand in this deck, since even out card advantage spells are impulse/exiled-based draw effects, so the Orrery will restock us super quickly! Pair with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uba Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Uba Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to exile the cards drawn from the Orrery for a total of 5 cards exiled per turn! Check out Mike's article series <a href="https://commandersherald.com/author/mike-carrozza/">"Am I the Bolas?</a>" over on <a href="https://commandersherald.com/">Commander's Herald</a>, where he does the magical version of <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/">AITA</a>.</p>
<h3>10. Viridian Longbow (2%)</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="viridian longbow"></div></div>
<p>HanShotFirst from the <em>CTS</em> <a href="https://discord.gg/MADh5x7Smb">discord</a> gets credit for this gem. When our deck is constantly using exile-based card advantage, all our upcoming cards are face-up in exile, removing the element of surprise that can make kill spells so powerful. As long as that's the case, we might as well have an on-board trick! Giving our deathtouching commander a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viridian Longbow" href="#" target="_blank">Viridian Longbow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> means we can threaten to pick off any troublesome creatures at will. Combine that with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dauthi Voidwalker" href="#" target="_blank">Dauthi Voidwalker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Draugr Necromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Draugr Necromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Author of Shadows" href="#" target="_blank">Author of Shadows</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and we've got a neat little engine to cast a handful of our opponents' best creatures.</p>
<h3>Bonus Challenges</h3>
<p>Our <a href="https://discord.gg/MADh5x7Smb">discord</a> has been brainstorming more hot picks for Prosper. TheStephenation thinks <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hazoret&#039;s Undying Fury" href="#" target="_blank">Hazoret&#039;s Undying Fury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seems like it could be nutty, perhaps depending on how the rest of our deck is built. AwesomeMcCoolName is intrigued by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surreal Memoir" href="#" target="_blank">Surreal Memoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elkin Bottle" href="#" target="_blank">Elkin Bottle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elkin Lair" href="#" target="_blank">Elkin Lair</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ice Cauldron" href="#" target="_blank">Ice Cauldron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We can just tap the Cauldron for X=0 to exile a card from our hand and then cast that card from exile, ignoring the second ability. Let us know what you think of these cards, or if you've had a chance to test them in your Propser deck in the comments below!</p>
<p>Let's go to a decklist! Since Propser's EDHREC page seems to skew towards the pricier cards, I've included a budget upgraded precon list, taking out my 28 least favorite cards from the precon (including a few lands), and adding 28 of my favorite budget includes for Prosper, currently totaling $22. Enjoy!</p>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/1822224#Prosper_budget_upgrades">Click here to see only the upgrades.</a></p>
<hr />
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Prosper Budget Upgrades" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Prosper, Tome-Bound
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Aetherworks Marvel
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Bucknard&#039;s Everfull Purse
*1 Chaos Wand
*1 Ebony Fly
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Ghirapur Orrery
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Oracle&#039;s Vault
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Indulgence
*1 Viridian Longbow
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Kaya&#039;s Ghostform
*1 Outpost Siege
*1 Share the Spoils
*1 Shiny Impetus
*1 Theater of Horrors
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Academy Manufactor
*1 Breya&#039;s Apprentice
*1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
*1 Draugr Necromancer
*1 Dream Devourer
*1 Dream Pillager
*1 Etali, Primal Storm
*1 Fathom Fleet Swordjack
*1 Forsworn Paladin
*1 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
*1 Grim Hireling
*1 Kalain, Reclusive Painter
*1 Magmatic Channeler
*1 Marionette Master
*1 Mayhem Devil
*1 Mindleecher
*1 Murderous Rider
*1 Nadier&#039;s Nightblade
*1 Pontiff of Blight
*1 Tectonic Giant
*1 Wild-Magic Sorcerer
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Bedevil
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Comet Storm
*1 Commune with Lava
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Faithless Salvaging
*1 Hurl Through Hell
*1 Malakir Rebirth
*1 Rakdos Charm
*1 Spikefield Hazard
*1 Terminate
*1 You Find Some Prisoners
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Apex of Power
*1 Brass&#039;s Bounty
*1 Creative Technique
*1 Damnable Pact
*1 Disrupt Decorum
*1 Fevered Suspicion
*1 Ignite the Future
*1 Light Up the Stage
*1 Reckless Endeavor
*1 Rolling Earthquake
*1 Strike It Rich
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Foreboding Ruins
*1 Mortuary Mire
*13 Mountain
*1 Rakdos Carnarium
*1 Shadowblood Ridge
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Spinerock Knoll
*13 Swamp
*1 Tainted Peak
*1 Underdark Rift
[/Lands]"></span></div>

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<h2>Me, Internet-Bound</h2>
<p>What do you think about these challenges for Prosper? Are there any other cards you would challenge? Let me know in the comments below! For more Prosper content, check out <a href="https://commandersherald.com/adventures-in-the-forgotten-realms-commander-review-planar-portal/">Mike Carrozza's precon review article</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPau3SvlXF4">Joey Schultz's Precon Recon video</a>! As always, you can find me on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jevin_mtg">@jevin_mtg</a>.</p>


forsworn paladin

Too-Specific Top 10 - Life Debt

Challenge the Stats – Prosper, Tome-Bound