<p style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aatchik, Emerald Radian" href="#" target="_blank">Aatchik, Emerald Radian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by Loïc Canavaggia</span></i></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Insects are the most common animals on Earth, so it makes sense that they would populate other planes of existence as well. For a while, they seemed to pop up seemingly randomly, making a big splash when they did. In fact, it seems like whenever they come, they bring a huge wave of friends with them!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it’s <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scute Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Scute Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>’s landfalling multiplication or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Springheart Nantuko" href="#" target="_blank">Springheart Nantuko</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>’s Pro-Tour-winning synergy with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nadu, Winged Wisdom" href="#" target="_blank">Nadu, Winged Wisdom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Insects have the ability to overwhelm the battlefield with a single card. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But what would an Insect-themed deck look like? And how can we incorporate the smaller grubs, like Modern staple <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haywire Mite" href="#" target="_blank">Haywire Mite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Commander has become more popular and the universes within and beyond of <em>Magic</em> have expanded, the entomology has created a beautiful array of arthropods. The one thing that’s remained common from Nantuko to Golgari to the far reaches of space is an obsession with the grave, which is where today’s <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aatchik, Emerald Radian" href="#" target="_blank">Aatchik, Emerald Radian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck tech comes in.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aatchik, Emerald Radian"></div></div>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aatchik, Emerald Radian" href="#" target="_blank">Aatchik, Emerald Radian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Aatchik is a six-mana Insect Druid from what is, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DNyVOFbWPWJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apparently</a>, one of <em>Magic</em>’s least-popular sets, <em>Aetherdrift</em>. Its set, high mana cost, and pedestrian power and toughness allow it to pass under the radar. But its power is real, and it's a curve-topper extraordinaire, ready and willing to capitalize off of the discarded (or milled) carapaces of its fallen brethren.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Aatchik enters, it makes a 1/1 Insect token for each artifact and/or creature card in the grave. That means that, when possible, we want to do our jobs with artifacts and creatures, especially Insects. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why especially Insects? Well, whenever an Insect dies, Aatchik gets a +1/+1 counter and each opponent loses a life. The words “for each” and “each opponent” do a lot of heavy lifting here, as the former means that Aatchik wants to come down late and make a big impact, while the latter means that we can easily drain the board with a sacrifice effect.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zask, Skittering Swarmlord"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While Aatchik is a solid combo commander, there are some other cool options, especially when it comes to grindy games. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zask, Skittering Swarmlord" href="#" target="_blank">Zask, Skittering Swarmlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows us to cast Insects from the grave and puts Insects that die on the bottom of the library, then mills. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s a solid engine, but the high cost means it needs to be a bit higher-impact if we’re going to have it in the command zone. In the 99, however, it’s perfectly playable! </span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Amzu, Swarm&#039;s Hunger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Swarmweaver"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Amzu, Swarm&#039;s Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Amzu, Swarm&#039;s Hunger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another solid curve-topper, but grafting menace onto Insects leans a bit too hard on the 99, as there aren’t a lot of cheap Insects. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Swarmweaver" href="#" target="_blank">The Swarmweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also an aggressive option, but it requires a lot to go right the first few turns to meet its <em>delirium</em> requirement. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While there are other options that can add or subtract colors, they're more commanders that are Insects than Insect commanders.</span></p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aatchik, Emerald Radian" href="#" target="_blank">Aatchik, Emerald Radian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a commander, Aatchik represents the culmination of several turns of setup. When it comes out, it needs six mana, a grave full of creatures and artifacts, and a sacrifice outlet. If we can put those pieces together before it comes out, however, winning becomes trivial. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s the power of evolution, baby!</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nyx Weaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Village Rites"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vampiric Rites"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before Aatchik comes out, we need to have the graveyard full of offerings to our Insect overlord. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nyx Weaver" href="#" target="_blank">Nyx Weaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an excellent source of mill, while also being able to pop itself once we have something we need to return. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Village Rites" href="#" target="_blank">Village Rites</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and related effects combine sacrificing with drawing, as does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampiric Rites" href="#" target="_blank">Vampiric Rites</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These help us dig deep while meeting the grave requirement, setting up a huge turn.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Viscera Seer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ashnod&#039;s Altar"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Altar of Dementia"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Altar"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once Aatchik comes out, we need to have a way to win the game. “Free” sacrifice effects, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viscera Seer" href="#" target="_blank">Viscera Seer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Altar of Dementia" href="#" target="_blank">Dementia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s all allow us to use the life loss from Aatchik to win outside of combat. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Altar of Dementia" href="#" target="_blank">Altar of Dementia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can even mill out opponents, if their decks are low enough!</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swarmyard"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eumidian Hatchery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arch of Orazca"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="War Room"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Tower"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our nonbasic lands provide some grindiness, protecting our commander or key pieces with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swarmyard" href="#" target="_blank">Swarmyard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, making Insects with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eumidian Hatchery" href="#" target="_blank">Eumidian Hatchery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and drawing cards with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arch of Orazca" href="#" target="_blank">Arch of Orazca</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="War Room" href="#" target="_blank">War Room</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We can even make bursts of mana and secretly sacrifice things with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<h2>How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aatchik, Emerald Radian" href="#" target="_blank">Aatchik, Emerald Radian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We aim to drop quick Insects and fill the grave with mill and sacrifices before dropping our commander, making a huge board of small creatures, and sacrificing that board to drain our opponents out. It’s a brutally simple and efficient plan, one that’s been honed through years of evolution.</span></p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aatchik, Emerald Radian" href="#" target="_blank">Aatchik, Emerald Radian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander Deck List</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Aatchik, Emerald Radian Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Aatchik, Emerald Radian
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Aftermath Analyst
*1 Amzu, Swarm&#039;s Hunger
*1 Bilious Skulldweller
*1 Blex, Vexing Pest // Search for Blex
*1 Blightbeetle
*1 Broodguard Elite
*1 Broodhatch Nantuko
*1 Canoptek Scarab Swarm
*1 Caustic Caterpillar
*1 Chitin Gravestalker
*1 Circuit Mender
*1 Fumulus, the Infestation
*1 Grist, Voracious Larva // Grist, the Plague Swarm
*1 Haywire Mite
*1 Huskburster Swarm
*1 Icetill Explorer
*1 Insatiable Skittermaw
*1 Iridescent Hornbeetle
*1 Izoni, Thousand-Eyed
*1 Kraul Whipcracker
*1 Meltstrider Eulogist
*1 Moldgraf Millipede
*1 Molt Tender
*1 Mortician Beetle
*1 Nantuko Husk
*1 Nyx Weaver
*1 Old Rutstein
*1 Scute Mob
*1 Scute Swarm
*1 Seedship Broodtender
*1 Six
*1 Skull Prophet
*1 The Swarmweaver
*1 Viscera Seer
*1 Warren Soultrader
*1 Webstrike Elite
*1 Zask, Skittering Swarmlord
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Grist, the Hunger Tide
[/Planeswalkers]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Contamination
*1 Crawling Infestation
*1 Crawling Sensation
*1 Moldervine Reclamation
*1 The Hunger Tide Rises
*1 Vampiric Rites
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Beacon of Creation
*1 Harmonize
*1 Season of Loss
*1 Sign in Blood
*1 Witherbloom Command
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Altar of Dementia
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Hedge Shredder
*1 Phyrexian Altar
*1 Skullclamp
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Corrupted Conviction
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Plumb the Forbidden
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker
*1 Village Rites
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Arch of Orazca
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Command Tower
*1 Eumidian Hatchery
*15 Forest
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Phyrexian Tower
*15 Swamp
*1 Swarmyard
*1 Three Tree City
*1 War Room
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div></span></p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Insects are all over the world, representing many people’s greatest fear. And, judging by the power of Aatchik…they should be scared. I, for one, welcome our Insect overlords, and hope they’re appeased by this deck tech.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how would you build Insects? And do you think we captured the creepiness of the creepy crawlies?</span></p>
<h3>More Typal Builds:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="8mk8hVbGAa"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-spirit-typal-with-millicent-restless-revenant/">Building Spirit Typal With Millicent, Restless Revenant</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Building Spirit Typal With Millicent, Restless Revenant&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-spirit-typal-with-millicent-restless-revenant/embed/#?secret=yK8vNFnTow#?secret=8mk8hVbGAa" data-secret="8mk8hVbGAa" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="d09d7ts74Z"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-an-assassin-deck-with-lydia-frye/">Building an Assassin Deck with Lydia Frye</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Building an Assassin Deck with Lydia Frye&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-an-assassin-deck-with-lydia-frye/embed/#?secret=sJHprNDZBn#?secret=d09d7ts74Z" data-secret="d09d7ts74Z" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="UkoEbItuQS"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-an-ally-deck-with-katara-the-fearless/">Building an Ally Deck with Katara, the Fearless</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Building an Ally Deck with Katara, the Fearless&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-an-ally-deck-with-katara-the-fearless/embed/#?secret=iN7MWsKCh3#?secret=UkoEbItuQS" data-secret="UkoEbItuQS" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


golgari insects

Building an Insect Commander Deck with Aatchik, Emerald Radian