Challenge the Stats – Varina, Lich Queen

The Top 10 Cards of 2020

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Siren of the Silent Song" href="#" target="_blank">Siren of the Silent Song</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://anthonypalumboillustration.com/">Anthony Palumbo)</a></h6>
<h1>Baby, You Can Drive My Car</h1>
<blockquote><p><em>"Rules and rails are made to be broken."</em></p>
<p style="text-align: right;">—<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aradara Express" href="#" target="_blank">Aradara Express</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> flavor text</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Vehicles, a relatively new invention that was first introduced in <em>Kaladesh</em>, act like Equipment in reverse. Your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivator&#039;s Caravan" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivator&#039;s Caravan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> becomes a 5/5 by forming a crew of low-power creatures as opposed to your low-power creature becoming a 5/5 via a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Feast and Famine" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Feast and Famine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In both scenarios, you're banking on "going tall" by building up a single threat to hurl at your opponents. It's a cornerstone Boros: aggressive, large threats played early to make sure you won't have opponents for too long. That's why this <em>Mind Bend</em>, the article series that breaks down the conventional notions of the color pie to forge new ground outside the confines of the already established, we're driving these Vehicles out of the Boros garage and parking them right into Sultai's lot.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cultivator&#039;s Caravan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sword of Feast and Famine"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>An Exemplar List</h2>
<p>Just how far is the Vehicles theme skewed in Boros' direction? Out of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/vehicles">over 1200 Vehicle decks on EDHREC</a>, just one Boros commander helms over 60% of them: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Depala, Pilot Exemplar" href="#" target="_blank">Depala, Pilot Exemplar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Depala, Pilot Exemplar"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Depala, Pilot Exemplar" href="#" target="_blank">Depala, Pilot Exemplar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> proves that Boros players will take anything when it comes to card advantage. Although fresh-off-the-printing-press commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wyleth, Soul of Steel" href="#" target="_blank">Wyleth, Soul of Steel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akiri, Fearless Voyager" href="#" target="_blank">Akiri, Fearless Voyager</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have shown that <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> is now giving the color combination better rewards for doing what it does best, Depala was possibly the first to do so years ago.</p>
<p>Granted, you needed to focus your deck around two very specific things: Dwarves and Vehicles, with both at high density, to reap the benefits. Yet the <em>Kaladesh</em> block brought some great new Dwarfs alongside the "new car smell" of Vehicles. The deck nearly built itself right then and there: find the right mixture of value-driven Dwarves and muscular Vehicles and you had a lean, mean Boros machine.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://edhrec.com/decks/depala-pilot-exemplar-vehicles-theme">EDHREC average <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Depala, Pilot Exemplar" href="#" target="_blank">Depala, Pilot Exemplar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decklist</a>, you'll find roughly twenty or so Vehicles ready to ram right into your opponents and at least ten Dwarves to fill your crew with small upsides, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Duergar Hedge-Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Duergar Hedge-Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. On top of that, add a few ace pilots; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Renegade Wheelsmith" href="#" target="_blank">Renegade Wheelsmith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great example.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Duergar Hedge-Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Renegade Wheelsmith"></div></div>
<p>Subsequent years have been somewhat kind to the deck, with a smattering of new potential inclusions every few sets. It's an easy-to-maintain deck that handles well right off the lot.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Slow and Steady Wins the Race</h2>
<p>Now that we've reviewed the Boros build, let's slap a fresh coat of paint on this Vehicles deck make it into a beautiful, streamlined Sultai machine, with sweet black, green, and blue stripes. And to do that, let me introduce you to our driver, the new #1 Turtle: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archelos, Lagoon Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Archelos, Lagoon Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archelos, Lagoon Mystic"></div></div>
<p>Now, you might be wondering, "Hey, doesn't Archelos' flavor text say, albeit slowly, that <em>'Life is not a race?'</em>" That fact is that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archelos, Lagoon Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Archelos, Lagoon Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the best pilot in the multiverse not named Depala. Sorry, Sonic, our goal isn't to go fast, our goal is just to go faster than everyone else, and we can do that by slowing them all down.</p>
<p>The <em>Crew</em> mechanic on Vehicles means that we can easily tap our commander without need for haste or for our Turtle shaman to ever cross into the red zone. Having our commander tapped creates a massive speed bump for our opponents to navigate, which we will use to our advantage.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Truly Inspired</h3>
<p>Archelos won't be our only pilot in this build. We need a little more inspiration to bring this dream machine to life. Luckily, there is a lesser-known Vehicle deck out there that we can emulate: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="King Macar, the Gold-Cursed" href="#" target="_blank">King Macar, the Gold-Cursed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="King Macar, the Gold-Cursed"></div></div>
<p>Lovingly known as "Dude, Where's Macar?", <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="King Macar, the Gold-Cursed" href="#" target="_blank">King Macar, the Gold-Cursed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a build dedicating him to crewing some fancy Vehicles so that he can untap and exile a threat, making a little change in the process. The <em>Inspired</em> ability came from the original <em>Theros</em> block, and it rewards you for untapping your creatures. Unfortunately, most of these creatures are rather small, making them more safe to attack in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smuggler&#039;s Copter" href="#" target="_blank">Smuggler&#039;s Copter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> than on the ground.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pain Seer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Siren of the Silent Song"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Disciple of Deceit"></div></div>
<p>The first group of inspired creatures we have in our stable provide either card advantage or card quality. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pain Seer" href="#" target="_blank">Pain Seer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a cousin of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Confidant" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Confidant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Siren of the Silent Song" href="#" target="_blank">Siren of the Silent Song</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sets our opponents each back a card, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sphinx&#039;s Disciple" href="#" target="_blank">Sphinx&#039;s Disciple</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is straight draw. On the card quality side, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disciple of Deceit" href="#" target="_blank">Disciple of Deceit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can trade a dead card for one much more suited to the current situation.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daring Thief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghostly Pilferer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fallowsage"></div></div>
<p>Just like King Macar, there are a few other inspired choices that can shift the balance of permanents on the board. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daring Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Daring Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can swap out a lowly <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wood Elves" href="#" target="_blank">Wood Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a late <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for an opponent's big threat. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arbiter of the Ideal" href="#" target="_blank">Arbiter of the Ideal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can net us more Vehicles and more pilots for each untap.</p>
<p>There are even a few creatures we can use that don't say "<em>Inspired</em>", but act just the same. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Pilferer" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Pilferer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> just hit tables earlier this year and can net us cards each time it untaps. The same is true when we crew a Vehicle with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fallowsage" href="#" target="_blank">Fallowsage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Additionally, we can stymie threats via <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surgespanner" href="#" target="_blank">Surgespanner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Normally, the <em>Inspired</em> mechanic is too slow for the game. You have to cast the creature, then wait until your next turn to attack, then wait until it untaps. However, if we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archelos, Lagoon Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Archelos, Lagoon Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play and tapped, we can skip the first few steps. Or, if we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Amulet of Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Amulet of Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play, we can get the <em>Inspired</em> trigger right then and there. And we don't need to worry about other players because with Archelos tapped, they're moving at a Turtle's pace.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Superchargers</h3>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Amulet of Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Amulet of Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is not the only hack this machine can run. Since we'll be crewing our Vehicles, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quest for Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Quest for Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will hit its four counters in no time. Or, we could also just slap <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into play. Either of these active means that we can crew our Vehicles over and over on each player's turn, not just our own, and get our <em>Inspired</em> triggers fours times as often.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Amulet of Vigor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quest for Renewal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Throne of the God-Pharaoh"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throne of the God-Pharaoh" href="#" target="_blank">Throne of the God-Pharaoh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us incentive to tap every creature, even our crewed Vehicles, every turn, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opposition" href="#" target="_blank">Opposition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can hinder the advances of our opponents' biggest threats. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fatestitcher" href="#" target="_blank">Fatestitcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tideforce Elemental" href="#" target="_blank">Tideforce Elemental</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provide ways to hit more <em>Inspired</em> triggers on one turn, or can help tap Archelos, should the need arise.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Finish Line</h3>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throne of the God-Pharaoh" href="#" target="_blank">Throne of the God-Pharaoh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> marks one of our win conditions, but our primary focus is on a slower grind. For that, planeswalkers offer us some added routes to victory. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas" href="#" target="_blank">Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> nets us card advantage, can turn a Vehicle into a creature for good, and has a killer finisher. Same for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tezzeret, Artifice Master" href="#" target="_blank">Tezzeret, Artifice Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, giving us a token that can help crew, drawing us cards, or hitting the ultimate under the ideal racing conditions. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archelos, Lagoon Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Archelos, Lagoon Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> supports this strategy as hasty creatures are no threat to a naked planeswalker.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skysovereign, Consul Flagship"></div></div>
<p>And obviously, we can just get our beatdown on with evasive Vehicles like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skysovereign, Consul Flagship" href="#" target="_blank">Skysovereign, Consul Flagship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aradara Express" href="#" target="_blank">Aradara Express</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Perfect Line</h2>
<p>If you're looking for a deck that has a non-standard play pattern where tapping out is sometimes the best board state to have and where your sequencing might be counter to what you're used to, this is the deck for you. You might oversteer at the green flag, but you'll be rounding the turns like a pro with a little bit of practice. Turn your commander sideways at the right moments and speed on past the checkered flag while your opponents lag a few turns behind.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Sultai Vehicles" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Archelos, Lagoon Mystic
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Arbiter of the Ideal
*1 Daring Thief
*1 Disciple of Deceit
*1 Fallowsage
*1 Fatestitcher
*1 Foundry Inspector
*1 Ghostly Pilferer
*1 Jhoira&#039;s Familiar
*1 King Macar, the Gold-Cursed
*1 Oak Street Innkeeper
*1 Oracle of Mul Daya
*1 Pain Seer
*1 Phyrexian Metamorph
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Seedborn Muse
*1 Servant of Tymaret
*1 Siren of the Silent Song
*1 Sphinx&#039;s Disciple
*1 Surgespanner
*1 Tangled Florahedron
*1 Tideforce Elemental
*1 Wake Thrasher
*1 Wood Elves
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Aethersphere Harvester
*1 Amulet of Vigor
*1 Aradara Express
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Cultivator&#039;s Caravan
*1 Daredevil Dragster
*1 Fleetwheel Cruiser
*1 Heart of Kiran
*1 Honor-Worn Shaku
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mobile Garrison
*1 Renegade Freighter
*1 Silent Submersible
*1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
*1 Smuggler&#039;s Copter
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Throne of the God-Pharaoh
*1 Thundering Chariot
*1 Untethered Express
*1 Weatherlight
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Beast Within
*1 Counterspell
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Sultai Charm
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Agadeem&#039;s Awakening
*1 Bala Ged Recovery
*1 Decree of Pain
*1 Harvest Season
*1 Night&#039;s Whisper
*1 Painful Truths
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Sea Gate Restoration
*1 Toxic Deluge
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Cryptolith Rite
*1 Opposition
*1 Phyrexian Arena
*1 Quest for Renewal
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Nissa, Vital Force
*1 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
*1 Tezzeret, Artifice Master
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Command Tower
*1 Creeping Tar Pit
*1 Dimir Aqueduct
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fabled Passage
*4 Forest
*1 Golgari Rot Farm
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*3 Island
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Lotus Field
*1 Lumbering Falls
*1 Morphic Pool
*1 Nurturing Peatland
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Rejuvenating Springs
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*2 Swamp
*1 Temple of Deceit
*1 Temple of Mystery
*1 Underground River
*1 Undergrowth Stadium
*1 Waterlogged Grove
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Yavimaya Coast
*1 Zagoth Triome
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Checkered Flag</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Depala, Pilot Exemplar" href="#" target="_blank">Depala, Pilot Exemplar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might get the fastest laps in qualifying, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archelos, Lagoon Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Archelos, Lagoon Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will catch up over the course of the race, and should have the gas to go the distance. Also, this was a first for the series: I actually wrote about a commander from the most recent set! Okay, there are, like, a billion new commanders in <em>Commander Legends</em>, so one of them was bound to be worth highlighting, but I'm still calling this a win. It's always fun to flip the script on how you normally do things, if only just to expand your horizons. But, for now, I have to drive off into the sunset.</p>
<p>Until next time, where I'll have another mind-bending brew for you!</p>


ghostly pilferer

Challenge the Stats – Varina, Lich Queen

The Top 10 Cards of 2020

Mind Bend - Sultai Vehicles

Core 2021 Set Review - Blue