<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gisa and Geralf" href="#" target="_blank">Gisa and Geralf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.aaronjriley.com/">Aaron J. Riley</a>)</h6>
<h1>Open Casket</h1>
<p>Hello dear reader, and welcome to EDHREC’s <i>Precon Primer</i> series! In this series, we take a deep dive into the latest precon products by reviewing the new commanders, discussing deck strategies and how they play out of the box, and highlighting the best new cards and reprints. I’m Nick from the Scrap Trawlers, where we do EDH on a budget, and I’ll be your guide for this article.</p>
<p>It's no surprise that Commander is the most popular casual format. In fact, it's so popular that some people learn how to play the game through Commander! Due to this, <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> has created a new product series called Starter Commander Decks. There are five decks in total, each themed around an easy-to-play strategy, consist entirely of reprints, and can be purchased for around half the price of normal Commander decks.</p>
<p>One of the issues I had when I started playing Magic was that I couldn't play with all of my friends at the same time. Commander wasn't as prominent of a format as it is today, so I was stuck playing Standard. These decks are the solution to that problem! You can easily grab a few of your friends, purchase these decks, and begin your journey into the world of <em>Magic: the Gathering</em> together; all without spending a fortune!</p>
<p>Of the five decks, one that caught my immediate attention was Grave Danger, the Blue Black Zombies themed deck. Creature family strategies are popular among veteran players and newcomers alike, and for good reason! They're naturally synergistic and easy to understand. Plus, who doesn't like the idea of commanding an army of the dead?</p>
<h2>Family Reunion</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gisa and Geralf"></div></div>
<p>The face commander of this deck is the sinister sibling duo known as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gisa and Geralf" href="#" target="_blank">Gisa and Geralf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. When they enter the battlefield, you mill four cards. They also allow you to cast a zombie from your graveyard once per turn. As far as wizards go, they have a respectable power and toughness at 4/4. You may not be winning with commander damage, but you'll deter some unfavorable attacks. Since your graveyard will act as a second hand, mill four almost reads draw four! There are 26 zombies in the deck, so chances are good you'll hit at least one. Before we continue, let's take a look at the whole decklist in all its undead glory.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Starter Commander (Grave Danger)" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gisa and Geralf
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Grimoire of the Dead
*1 Heraldic Banner
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Unstable Obelisk
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dismal Backwater
*13 Island
*1 Jwar Isle Refuge
*1 Salt Marsh
*1 Submerged Boneyard
*1 Sunken Hollow
*18 Swamp
*1 Temple of Deceit
[/Lands]
[Sorceries]
*1 Army of the Damned
*1 Crippling Fear
*1 Deep Analysis
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Enter the God-Eternals
*1 Feed the Swarm
*1 Necromantic Selection
*1 Necrotic Hex
*1 Pilfered Plans
*1 Syphon Flesh
*1 Victimize
*1 Zombie Apocalypse
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Cruel Revival
*1 Lazotep Plating
*1 Murder
*1 Sinister Sabotage
*1 Undermine
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Curse of Disturbance
*1 Liliana&#039;s Mastery
*1 Open the Graves
*1 Vampiric Rites
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Liliana, Untouched by Death
[/Planeswalkers]
[Creatures]
*1 Cemetery Reaper
*1 Champion of the Perished
*1 Diregraf Captain
*1 Eternal Skylord
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Geralf&#039;s Mindcrusher
*1 Gleaming Overseer
*1 Gravespawn Sovereign
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Havengul Lich
*1 Josu Vess, Lich Knight
*1 Laboratory Drudge
*1 Lazotep Reaver
*1 Liliana&#039;s Devotee
*1 Liliana&#039;s Standard Bearer
*1 Lord of the Accursed
*1 Lotleth Giant
*1 Loyal Subordinate
*1 Midnight Reaper
*1 Mire Triton
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Scourge of Nel Toth
*1 Spark Reaper
*1 Unbreathing Horde
*1 Undead Augur
*1 Vela the Night-Clad
*1 Vengeful Dead
*1 Vizier of the Scorpion
*1 Withered Wretch
[/Creatures]"></span></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Bring Out Your Dead</h2>
<p>The gameplan is simple: play zombie, send them into battle to die for the cause, and bring them back with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gisa and Geralf" href="#" target="_blank">Gisa and Geralf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for round two. Or three. Or four! Zombies are the most resilient creature strategy in magic. You may be slower than goblins, and you may not have the evasion of dragons, but nothing short of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merciless Eviction" href="#" target="_blank">Merciless Eviction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is going to stop your army of darkness from taking over the game if it goes long. Normally, creature type strategies flounder in games with heavy removal. Zombies <em>thrive </em>in those environments, so much that you'll often sacrifice them yourself!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Champion of the Perished"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mire Triton"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Diregraf Captain"></div></div>
<p>Creatures with enters the battlefield or dies triggers are very important to provide incremental value over the course of the game. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Champion of the Perished" href="#" target="_blank">Champion of the Perished</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets bigger. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mire Triton" href="#" target="_blank">Mire Triton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> mills for more zombies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diregraf Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Diregraf Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> slowly ticks away at opposing life totals. Those are just the tip of the unholy iceberg!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fleshbag Marauder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Necrotic Hex"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vampiric Rites"></div></div>
<p>What if you can't convince your opponents to block or attack you? Have no fear, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleshbag Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Fleshbag Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is here as a repeatable source of removal that will eventually remove all your opponents' creatures. Looking for something a little stronger? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necrotic Hex" href="#" target="_blank">Necrotic Hex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one half board wipe and one half army-in-a-can! If you want something more traditional, spending a couple mana into <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> will help you keep pace with the rest of the table.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gray Merchant of Asphodel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Army of the Damned"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vengeful Dead"></div></div>
<p>Eventually you'll want to show your friends an early grave, and a few death loops from format all-star <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gray Merchant of Asphodel" href="#" target="_blank">Gray Merchant of Asphodel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a Ravnican <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lotleth Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Lotleth Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will get the job done. Don't have a high devotion to black? Don't worry about it! If zombies can sleep, then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Army of the Damned" href="#" target="_blank">Army of the Damned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the haymaker dreams are made of. With a big enough board presence, landing a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vengeful Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Vengeful Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vela the Night-Clad" href="#" target="_blank">Vela the Night-Clad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will make your opponents think twice about casting that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>How-To-Play</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lazotep Reaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enter the God-Eternals"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cemetery Reaper"></div></div>
<p>For starting hands, a "perfect" 7 involves three lands and some mana acceleration like <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>. With those four cards, you can play Gisa and Geralf on turn 3 and either begin casting zombies from your hand or graveyard. The early game will revolve around creating value engines involving your commander. This can be as simple as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazotep Reaver" href="#" target="_blank">Lazotep Reaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in combination with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spark Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Spark Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to repeatedly gain life, draw a card, and grow a zombie army token. In the middle of the game, focus on protecting your engines with spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazotep Plating" href="#" target="_blank">Lazotep Plating</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sinister Sabotage" href="#" target="_blank">Sinister Sabotage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Slowing your your opponents' plans with removal in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feed the Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Feed the Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enter the God-Eternals" href="#" target="_blank">Enter the God-Eternals</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will keep them a step behind while you continue to accrue value. In the late game, if your graveyard is big enough you can come from behind with a devastating Zombie Apocalypse, or simply overwhelm your opponents with larger zombies with support from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cemetery Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Cemetery Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord of the Accursed" href="#" target="_blank">Lord of the Accursed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana&#039;s Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana&#039;s Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>What's Old is New Again</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, Untouched by Death"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Havengul Lich"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Loyal Subordinate"></div></div>
<p>The Starter Commander decks don't contain any new cards, but there's a few noteworthy reprints! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Untouched by Death" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Untouched by Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is effectively a second copy of your commander, with bonus removal tacked on. Normally Planeswalkers are less effective in commander since you'll lose creatures trying to keep them alive, but you'll have plenty of blockers to defend her that you really don't mind sending to the graveyard! There's also <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Havengul Lich" href="#" target="_blank">Havengul Lich</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a great way to reanimate a creature from anyone's graveyard, and maybe steal some abilities along the way. Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Loyal Subordinate" href="#" target="_blank">Loyal Subordinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sees its first ever reprint. Anyone who's played against this card knows how annoying and effective it is at lowering life totals. In this deck it's even harder to remove! If your opponents aren't packing exile removal, this subordinate is here to stay.</p>
<h2>Dearly Departed</h2>
<p>So is Grave Danger worth picking up? For what this product is attempting to accomplish, I'd say yes. While this may not be as strong as the Undead Unleashed precon from Midnight Hunt, it's a fraction of the cost. It's a great start to fill out your Zombie collection, with a solid foundation of interaction, ramp, and card draw that's easily built upon if desired. There’s plenty of ways to take this deck to the next level, but if you’re looking to do it on the cheap, check out the upgrade article right here on EDHREC! If you’d like to see more from the Scrap Trawlers you can find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/ScrapTrawlers">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/ScrapTrawlers">YouTube</a>, and <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers">Twitch</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


Grave Danger - Precon Primer

Archetune-Up - Dimir Sneak and Show

Archetune-Up - Spirited Away

Epic Experiment - Niv-Mizzet Reborn

Deep Analysis - Aristocrats

Commander Legends Set Review - Uncommon Guild Legends

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gallia of the Endless Dance" href="#" target="_blank">Gallia of the Endless Dance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Illustrated by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/algenpfleger">Johannes Voss</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo Melibeu, and this is <em>Epic Experiment,</em> a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p>Today we're going to build around a very underrated commander from <em>Theros Beyond Death</em>. Given that part of her kit is dedicated to a underdeveloped tribe, she's become basically a tribal commander. That'll stop today, because today we're building a Gallia deck!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gallia of the Endless Dance"></div></div>
<p><strong>Haste</strong></p>
<p><strong>Other Satyrs you control get +1/+1 and have haste.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Whenever you attack with three or more creatures, you may discard a card at random. If you do, draw two cards.</strong></p>
<p>Observation 1:</p>
<p>Gallia's draw trigger is really powerful. She's in a color combination that has plenty of cheap dorks that can be used to accelerate in the early game and then be used as fodder to her trigger in the late game. The randomness of the discard can easily be mitigated by simply packing our deck with Goodstuff (or even by playing the important stuff in our first main phase)</p>
<p>Observation 2:</p>
<p>Gallia is an aggressive commander through and through: she's a cheap body with haste that provides card advantage for us. One way to take advantage of this is by playing with <em>Madness</em> cards to get even more bang for our buck.</p>
<p>Observation 3:</p>
<p>Satyr is a tribe that is lacking in terms of card quality. However, given that Gallia also grants haste to other Satyrs, we can experiment with otherwise lackluster creatures in order to help fuel her draw trigger. I would strongly suggest gravitating towards utility-based ones, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satyr Wayfinder" href="#" target="_blank">Satyr Wayfinder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, rather than just going for maximum value.</p>
<p>Observation 4:</p>
<p><em>Madness</em> works great with Gallia, compensating for some of Aggro's shortcomings. However, <em>Madness</em> cards tend to be less effective in EDH.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-57673 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2.png" alt="" width="1402" height="610" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2.png 1402w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2-300x131.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2-1024x446.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Gallia-Sig2-768x334.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1402px) 100vw, 1402px" /></a></p>
<p>Like I said in my overview of the commander, Gallia is THE Satyr commander, so it's not surprising to see many Satyr cards in the top slots of the deck. This is a thematic approach, but I think that Satyr tribal fails to take full advantage of Gallia's potential.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golgari Grave-Troll"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azra Bladeseeker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Splendid Reclamation"></div></div>
<div>From the moment I saw Gallia, I knew I would build around her draw ability. There are basically two main dimensions to build around: the draw, and the discard. <em>Dredge</em> is a good example of a good mechanic to pair with Gallia: when we get dead cards that we want to discard, we can use the draw trigger to <em>Dredge</em> deeper.</div>
<div></div>
<div>To trigger Gallia's triggered ability, we still need a creature suite. Since we're already planning to <em>Dredge</em> around, looters are a perfect fit for this strategy. This leads us into an aggressive deck that invests in creatures with a looting ETB, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azra Bladeseeker" href="#" target="_blank">Azra Bladeseeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bomat Courier" href="#" target="_blank">Bomat Courier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burning-Tree Vandal" href="#" target="_blank">Burning-Tree Vandal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Racer" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Racer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be a bit slower than their ETB counterpart, but the possibility of having multiple triggers more than makes up for this especially since two of them have haste.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Now that we've covered the what and how, we need to answer why we're <em>Dredging</em>. Usually when we think of <em>Dredge</em>, we think of Reanimator. Being in Gruul, Gallia has a tough time returning creatures that she's discarded. That being said, you know what kind of permanent Gruul loves to return? Lands! <em>Dredging</em> up lands and then using cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Splendid Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Splendid Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful way to get many <em>Landfall</em> triggers and get ahead in the mana department.</div>
<div></div>
<div><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Field of the Dead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Depths"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra&#039;s Ignition"></div></div></div>
<div></div>
<div>We're also stacking the deck with win conditions. We're mostly using two-card combos to end the game: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Splendid Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Splendid Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>/<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="World Shaper" href="#" target="_blank">World Shaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scapeshift" href="#" target="_blank">Scapeshift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great enablers for our more powerful <em>Landfall</em> triggers, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle" href="#" target="_blank">Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Field of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Field of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moraug, Fury of Akoum" href="#" target="_blank">Moraug, Fury of Akoum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (and, by extension, its other combo pieces) provides a fast clock that can be hard for some lists to handle. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra&#039;s Ignition" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra&#039;s Ignition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great way to close games where multiple opponents are alive with low life; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Multani, Yavimaya&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Multani, Yavimaya&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be used to great effect with Ignition since we can easily get him back to the battlefield, but even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulvenwald Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Ulvenwald Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will do the trick.</div>
<div>
<hr />
</div>
<div>
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Gallia Dredgefall" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Gallia of the Endless Dance
[/Commander]

[Artifact]
*Sol Ring
*Smuggler&#039;s Copter
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*Arbor Elf
*Birds of Paradise
*Bomat Courier
*Boreal Druid
*Elvish Mystic
*Elvish Reclaimer
*Fyndhorn Elves
*Insolent Neonate
*Llanowar Elves
*Orcish Lumberjack
*Sylvan Safekeeper
*Fissure Wizard
*Sakura-Tribe Elder
*Satyr Wayfinder
*Azra Bladeseeker
*Burning-Tree Vandal
*Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
*Eternal Witness
*Golgari Brownscale
*Merchant of the Vale
*Radha, Heart of Keld
*Ramunap Excavator
*Reckless Racer
*Seasoned Pyromancer
*Springbloom Druid
*Viashino Racketeer
*Anger
*Greater Mossdog
*Rowdy Crew
*World Shaper
*Cavalier of Flame
*Cavalier of Thorn
*Golgari Grave-Troll
*Ancient Greenwarden
*Moraug, Fury of Akoum
*Multani, Yavimaya&#039;s Avatar
*Ulvenwald Hydra
*Omnath, Locus of Rage
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*Mass Hysteria
*Prismatic Omen
*Underworld Breach
*Ayula&#039;s Influence
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Crop Rotation
*Heroic Intervention
*Thrill of Possibility
*Chaos Warp
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Faithless Looting
*Traverse the Ulvenwald
*Cathartic Reunion
*Life From the Loam
*Recoup
*Chain Reaction
*Scapeshift
*Splendid Reclamation
*Chandra&#039;s Ignition
*Creeping Renaissance
*Blasphemous Act
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Command Tower
*City of Brass
*Mana Confluence
*Karplusan Forest
*Grove of the Burnwillows
*Spire Garden
*Stomping Ground
*Cinder Glade
*Copperline Gorge
*Rootbound Crag
*Sheltered Thcket
*Temple of Abandon
*Wooded Foothills
*Prismatic Vista
*Ghitu Encampment
*Mutavault
*Treetop Village
*Forgotten Cave
*Tranquil Thicket
*Blighted Woodland
*Tectonic Edge
*Ghost Quarter
*Dark Depths
*Vesuva
*Thespian&#039;s Stage
*Field of the Dead
*Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
*Snow-Covered Forest
*Snow-Covered Mountain
*4 Forest
*7 Mountain
[/Land]"></span></div>

<p>Unlike the usual Lands Matter lists, we're heavily invested in mana dorks. We need to have the three attacking creatures mark as soon as possible, and they provide both a body and the mana acceleration to put more bodies into play.</p>
<p>With all the <em>Dredging</em>, we're likely to mill a relevant piece, so we have some powerful recursion pieces that can act as a pseudo-tutors. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Recoup" href="#" target="_blank">Recoup</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great because it targets big sorcery effects, and it's an easy card to find considering that we can <em>Dredge</em> it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is versatile, but it needs some setup, and it only works for a turn. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eternal Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Eternal Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another body, which isn't that much for the type of effect that we want to recover from our graveyard, but it's still an upside.</p>
<hr />
<div>
<div id="mtgh_26fd7" class="mtgh">
<div class="header">
<div>
<h2>Methodology</h2>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>For opening hands, we're mostly looking for early creatures to fuel our commander. From there, we can start making a plan according to our draws.</p>
<p>In the early game, our main concern is gathering three bodies to attack. Our commander is usually the third, so it's really more like finding two. While the <em>Dredge</em> suite is nice and all, we don't really need it at this stage of the game. After all, getting to trigger our commander means that we're seeing at least three new cards a turn, which is more than enough to give us a boost.</p>
<p>By the mid-game, between other players building up defenses and playing board wipes, our ability to trigger Gallia significantly diminishes. By this point we hopefully have dug enough to flip the switch and start acting like a more standard Lands Matter deck. This is the stage where we really want to start chaining some of our <em>Dredge</em> cards.</p>
<p>When we get to the late game, our priority is to find any of our win conditions, we have plenty of opportunities to find any of them, especially with our <em>Flashback</em> recursion spells. Finding the most effective winning line is fairly easy, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cavalier of Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Cavalier of Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra&#039;s Ignition" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra&#039;s Ignition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great at bursting people out, while Field of the Dead and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omnath, Locust of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Omnath, Locust of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great at grinding.</p>
<hr />
<div>
<div id="mtgh_26fd7" class="mtgh">
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Manabond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra, Flamecaller"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harvest Season"></div></div>
<p>The list is basically a Lands Matter with a twist. This twist costs us some precious deck slots that we have to sacrifice in order to fit some of the other cards. One of the biggest problem that I see that this list suffers is that the only way it can effectively "tutor" for lands is to put them in the graveyard, unlike most decks that tend to use ramp effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
</div>
<p>Enablers, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manabond" href="#" target="_blank">Manabond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can be great in a list like this, as it's a way to consistently drop <em>Dredge</em> cards out of our hand. However, as mentioned before, we lack the land-pulling capabilities to make it that much better than an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exploration" href="#" target="_blank">Exploration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.<br />
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra, Flamecaller" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra, Flamecaller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great card to cycle through bad hands and letting us get rid of some <em>Dredgers</em>. It may seem like an expensive investment, but the combination of Gallia and Chandra is a powerful draw engine.</p>
</div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harvest Season" href="#" target="_blank">Harvest Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a bit of a risky card, but if we are able to play it with two creatures on the field it's more effective than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment!</em> What do you think about this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which did you not? Was this <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


Epic Experiment - Gallia Landfall

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rude Awakening" href="#" target="_blank">Rude Awakening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.mtgpics.com/illus?art=351&amp;reprints=1">Ittoku</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>"Rude awakening." That's a strange idiom, isn't it? There's the intended meaning of a harsher realization casting a cold, hard shadow on one's naive preconceptions. This plays on the lyrical image of someone being shaken awake, as from a pleasant slumber or a daydreaming doze. The feeling of a sudden turbulence, a dramatic change in one's state of mind (or board), is likely a familiar one for all of us.</p>
<p>And though it can certainly be unpleasant, why is politeness factored into the discussion at all? Is it somehow a breach of decorum to alert someone, even roughly, to the truth of wakefulness?</p>
<p>Wake up, sheeple! Or, wake up sheeple? Oh, uh, Gyrus can actually do that. Commas can be fun.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gyrus, Waker of Corpses"></div></div>
<p>And the sad truth is that although there is a distant and tertiary theme of Dragon tribal in this brew, this <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/reanimate">Reanimate</a> deck inside a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/sacrifice">Sacrifice</a> deck has no method by which to grant Human as an additional creature type to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nyx-fleece Ram" href="#" target="_blank">Nyx-fleece Ram</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, although I'm sure that's possible in another deck.</p>
<p>Without too much more rambling in the hillsides of madness, I welcome you to the latest edition of <em>Dual Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Hidden in the Depths</h2>
<p>We're back to a split more closely approximating 80/20, as was established in <em>Dual Shot</em>'s pilot studies. Actually, sometimes it feels like you have to really dig for the reanimation subtheme to rear its head, even with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyrus, Waker of Corpses" href="#" target="_blank">Gyrus, Waker of Corpses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at the helm. But these two themes enjoy a sort of natural synergy: sacrificing creatures puts them into the graveyard, and in this case, apparently, they're only mostly dead, as your Hydra alarm clock is clamorous enough to get them up and out of their deathbed.</p>
<p>And while we're going to be running cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Victimize" href="#" target="_blank">Victimize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dread Return" href="#" target="_blank">Dread Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the payoffs are primarily in the shape of sacrifice triggers - in fact, in our 99 lurks a king cursed with gluttony: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Korvold, Fae-Cursed King" href="#" target="_blank">Korvold, Fae-Cursed King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Korvold almost functions as a hidden commander, fueled by the rest of the deck and either drawing you into an out or turning sideways, himself. Reanimating one of our draconic threats - cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund" href="#" target="_blank">Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atarka, World Render" href="#" target="_blank">Atarka, World Render</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can easily knock a single player out of the game, but you'll need to rely on the pressure of recursion and card draw in order to eke out a victory - especially with a card as common as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bojuka Bog" href="#" target="_blank">Bojuka Bog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> essentially hitting you like it's a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Walk" href="#" target="_blank">Time Walk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you're in a lane for reanimation.</p>
<p>One other thing to be wary of is the fact that Gyrus puts a creature token onto the battlefield tapped and attacking - which means that although the creature <em>is</em> attacking, it was never declared as an attacker while moving into to phase (when you declared Gyrus as an attacker) - this means that any tokens you create with on-attack triggers do not trigger. No surprise bonus mana from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savage Ventmaw" href="#" target="_blank">Savage Ventmaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, sadly. But let's take a look at the pile of cards and see what <em>does</em> work.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Gyrus and the Circle of Corpses" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gyrus, Waker of Corpses
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Paradise Druid
*1 Leyline Prowler
*1 Sorcerer&#039;s Broom
*1 Rapacious Dragon
*1 Izoni, Thousand-Eyed
*1 Demanding Dragon
*1 Thrashing Brontodon
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Catalyst Elemental
*1 Battle Rampart
*1 Korvold, Fae-Cursed King
*1 Mayhem Devil
*1 Atarka, World Render
*1 Darigaaz Reincarnated
*1 Malfegor
*1 Tymaret, the Murder King
*1 Swift Warkite
*1 Lyzolda, the Blood Witch
*1 Plaguecrafter
*1 Gorging Vulture
*1 Hope of Ghirapur
*1 Goblin Cratermaker
*1 Bladewing the Risen
*1 Keeper of Fables
*1 Priest of Forgotten Gods
*1 Gluttonous Troll
*1 Judith, the Scourge Diva
*1 Savage Ventmaw
*1 Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Murder
*1 Bake into a Pie
*1 Gang Up
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Fling
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Gild
*1 Tormenting Voice
*1 Hull Breach
*1 Taste of Death
*1 Painful Lesson
*1 Sign in Blood
*1 Mana Seism
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Portent of Betrayal
*1 Savage Twister
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Bloodsoaked Altar
*1 Golden Egg
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Rakdos Cluestone
*1 Gruul Cluestone
*1 Golgari Cluestone
*1 Witch&#039;s Oven
*1 Altar of Shadows
*1 Kolaghan Monument
*1 Golgari Locket
*1 Rakdos Locket
*1 Gruul Locket
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bloodfire Infusion
*1 Shade&#039;s Form
*1 Moldervine Reclamation
*1 Dark Heart of the Wood
*1 Burning Sands
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Angrath, Captain of Chaos
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Command Tower
*1 Guildmages&#039; Forum
*1 Jund Panorama
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Geothermal Crevice
*1 Rocky Tar Pit
*1 Mountain Valley
*1 Bloodfell Caves
*1 Jungle Hollow
*1 Rugged Highlands
*1 Timber Gorge
*1 Foul Orchard
*1 Cinder Barrens
*1 Golgari Guildgate
*1 Temple of Malady
*1 Cryptic Caves
*1 Sapseep Forest
*1 Rakdos Carnarium
*1 Gruul Turf
*5 Swamp
*4 Mountain
*7 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>So you might have noticed that this is a shakily modified Korvold Brawl deck. As well, this particular <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dual Shot" href="#" target="_blank">Dual Shot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is still in the early stages of development. You'll want good utility from your sacrificial lambs, er, Dragons, or whatever weird thing you'll be delivering to the gods. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spore Frog" href="#" target="_blank">Spore Frog</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 Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are must-includes, and although we want our creatures dying for the cause, a good pair of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be nice for Gyrus, though I'm not exactly sure it's the boot-wearing type. Sandals, maybe. In any case, Gyrus dying to removal isn't the worst thing in the world, as his commander tax can be worked into his casting cost rather elegantly. For example, the first time you cast him, say you make X=3, so you cast him for 6 mana in total. He dies, and then you recast him with X equaling 1, you pay the tax of 2, and you've... spent 6 mana in total. Your clangorous Hydra still enters with six +1/+1 counters. That's the sort of recursion that any Timmy or Tammy could love.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spore Frog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ashnod&#039;s Altar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lightning Greaves"></div></div>
<p>Then some obvious cards to connect our adjacent themes at play: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Alive" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Alive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Victimize" href="#" target="_blank">Victimize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dread Return" href="#" target="_blank">Dread Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - and a few other <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-esque cards (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, perhaps) to get the infrastructure of our thematic bridge up to code.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buried Alive"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Victimize"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dread Return"></div></div>
<p>While you're cleaning up your mana base - replacing the taplands, gainlands, and lockets with any sort of fetch, even things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolving Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Evolving Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terramorphic Expanse" href="#" target="_blank">Terramorphic Expanse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for fixing and sacrifice triggers - you may also tidy up some of the rest of the chaff. While all-stars like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest" href="#" target="_blank">Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monsters" href="#" target="_blank">The Gitrog Monsters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all very interested in what we're doing, simpler upgrades (read: removal suite) take priority. How did a regular old <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> find its way in here? Gods, it's like I'm asleep when I add the removal to these decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doom Blade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Storm&#039;s Wrath"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reclamation Sage"></div></div>
<p>You'll also have fun slotting in things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anger" href="#" target="_blank">Anger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramunap Excavator" href="#" target="_blank">Ramunap Excavator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleshbag Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Fleshbag Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feldon of the Third Path" href="#" target="_blank">Feldon of the Third Path</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pitiless Plunderer" href="#" target="_blank">Pitiless Plunderer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This reanimation catalogue, though not particularly fleshed out (accidental pun with our Zombie Warrior friend), ends up looking more Mardu than Jund - insofar as it's combat-centric. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyrus, Waker of Corpses" href="#" target="_blank">Gyrus, Waker of Corpses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bladewing the Risen" href="#" target="_blank">Bladewing the Risen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atarka, World Render" href="#" target="_blank">Atarka, World Render</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is wonderfully stupid and probably doesn't even work the way I want it to (remember, when creatures are made to enter the battlefield tapped and attacking, they were never declared as attackers, so "when ~ attacks" triggers don't hit the stack). At any rate, if you need another Dragon, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prossh, Skyraider of Kher" href="#" target="_blank">Prossh, Skyraider of Kher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has got your back. I can only assume that means he has your back, and most of the rest of you, in his mouth, but, hey, free sacrifice outlet.</p>
<p>As it stands, this list is really more of a 90/10 split, but that's owing to one simple truth: that this was just a Korvold deck at first. The Brawl precon got retooled into an EDH deck that looked a little bit too much like many other recs for the Fae-Cursed King. That there was a good deal of overlap in the sacrifice and reanimation themes (and any graveyard strategy, really) led to this becoming an early <em>Dual Shot</em> candidate. And even in its fledgling form, this list hearkens back to <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/dual-shot-dynamic-stall/">an earlier <em>Dual Shot</em></a> experiment, one with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> front and center. By this I mean that a much closer split seems very feasible. As long as you can reliably fill your graveyard (self-mill, sacrifice outlets, big threats eating spot removal), you have fuel for reanimation. If you can secure payoffs for both filling <em>and</em> emptying your yard, then perhaps by some metrics, you've brewed two decks at the same time...<em> in one deck</em>... aaaand <em>Catchphrase!</em></p>
<p>That's all for today. If I'm to field a question to you folks, then it has to be about graveyard synergy. What lists have you played with that did more than one thing with the old lichyard? Were you bringing back lands and maybe hoping for a heavy ping with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lotleth Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Lotleth Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Let us know in the comments. Till next we meet.</p>


Dual Shot - Rude Awakening

Rolebuilding - Identity Thief

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/lukacs/">Chuck Lukacs</a>)</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to the legendary creatures to whom <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to give a story. I’ll guide you through each aspect that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background attention. This time around I’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos, Unchained" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos, Unchained</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Polukranos, Unchained"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Polukranos, known as the World Eater, fell to Theros from its celestial lair during the battle between Purphoros and Heliod, where he was quickly sealed under the Nessian Forest. Elspeth was tasked by Heliod to defeat the Hydra, who had recently escaped its stasis and was ravaging the land. Polukranos was defeated and, in death, was locked away in the Underworld. As we see in his recent depiction, however, Polukranos is back, freed from his chains and angrier than ever.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heliod, God of the Sun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosName.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45677 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosName.jpg" alt="" width="289" height="65" /></a></p>
<p>Polukranos loosely translates from Greek to "many heads." More accurately, it means "many helmets," but I think we know what <em>Wizards</em> was going for. An apt name for a Hydra, and a good direction to go for the deck, but more on that later.</p>
<p>Chains seem to be a large trope in <em>Theros Beyond Death</em>. Looking through the creatures, specifically those with <em>Escape</em>, the majority have some element of chains hanging from them. The imagery of chains, especially in conjunction with their attachment to manacles, gives the underworld a much stronger prison feel than it previously had in my mind.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosCost.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45676 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosCost.jpg" alt="" width="87" height="58" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Black:</strong> Amorality and pragmatism; no waste, no qualms, and no feelings.</p>
<p><strong>Green:</strong> Survival of the fittest, pure and simple. What lives will die.</p>
<p><strong>Golgari (green/black): </strong>The colors of the graveyard, rot, and necromancy. As we explored in <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lore-seeker-creepy-kraul-y/">my last article</a>, the Golgari are interested in recycling. Specifically, the Golgari necromancers make use of the dead, bringing back others to do their bidding for them. In the case of Polukranos, he is his own necromantic master.</p>
<p>I initially wanted to avoid doing creatures of the same color identity back-to-back in this series, but I made an exception because this black-green deck is going to use the graveyard in a very different way than the previous installment. In order to fuel our commander, this is a self-mill deck, so we're going to see a lot of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stitcher&#039;s Supplier" href="#" target="_blank">Stitcher&#039;s Supplier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that actively put cards in the graveyard, not to revive them like Meren, but to exile them and keep Polukranos around.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hermit Druid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satyr Wayfinder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nyx Weaver"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosArt.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45675 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosArt.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="325" /></a></p>
<p>As we can see, the head that was destroyed in the battle with Elspeth has regenerated in the underworld into two new heads, zombified, discolored, and horrible. It's interesting to me that Polukranos still has faces. <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lore-seeker-murder-king-fury-road/">When we explored Theros last</a> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tymaret, the Murder King" href="#" target="_blank">Tymaret, the Murder King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we discovered that the Zombies in the underworld lose their faces, adopting clay masks created in the underworld to hide their disfigurement and then replaced with the gold ones forged when they escape and become Returned. We also see Elspeth exempt from this mutation; likely her spark protected her (we also see her with a gold mask presumably still in the underworld, but I'll leave that rant for another day.)</p>
<p>Does this mean Polukranos has the power of a planeswalker, or are the rules just different for beasts of his nature? We will likely never know, but it does seem like a missed opportunity to put some rad gold Hydra masks on him.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosType.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45679 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosType.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="67" /></a></p>
<p>The Hydra originated from Greek mythology in the tale of Heracles (most commonly known as Hercules, the Roman adaptation). Heracles was tasked with a set of labors to redeem himself for prior actions. The Hydra was destroyed with the help of an ally and, more importantly, a golden sword that the goddess Athena bestowed upon him.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Godsend"></div></div>
<p>As a Greek-themed set, we can see a lot of the tropes of this story adapted in to <em>Magic</em>. Elspeth acts as Heracles, having been given a weapon from a God (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Godsend" href="#" target="_blank">Godsend</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) and tasked with defeating the Hydra. The biggest difference between <em>MTG</em> Hydras and those in Greek myths is their amphibious nature; the Lernaean Hydra of myth lived in a lake. We see a lot of large beasts in the water, like Leviathans, so I'm guessing they didn't want to add another big creature to blue's roster.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosRules.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45678 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosRules.jpg" alt="" width="461" height="255" /></a></p>
<p>Removing all six heads from the beast kills it, sending it to the underworld once more. We are going to imagine each head as a +1/+1 counter for the remainder our discussion here. Since the Hydra will create a new head for each removed, the fact that Polukranos comes back with twelve heads (counters) is extremely flavorful. This rationale falls apart when we get to his ability when being dealt damage removes counters, but does not regenerate heads on its own.</p>
<p>Let's introduce Polukranos to his new best friend: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The way replacement effects work is beneficial to us in this case, so instead of losing the counters, Polukranos will gain that many heads. Problem solved!</p>
<p>I want Polukranos to recreate that scene in the Disney version of Hercules. I want so many heads on this beast that they take up the entire sky.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hydraHeads.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45904 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hydraHeads.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="325" /></a></p>
<p>How do we accomplish this? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpsejack Menace" href="#" target="_blank">Corpsejack Menace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are the key pieces. With one in play, Polukranos enters with 12 from a normal casting or 24 with <em>Escape</em>. With both on the field, the fun really begins, giving us 24 heads from a normal cast or 48 with <em>Escape</em>. That's more like it!</p>
<p>Now, there are a few other options to add additional counters to creatures, but because these are really only interacting with the commander and not any other cards in the deck, two will be plenty.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Corpsejack Menace"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<hr />
<p><em>Theros Beyond Death</em> introduced a new style of basic land: the Nyx basics (or the Pokelands.) I am not a fan of these, whether for this deck or any other. The only place I think I would consider them is in a deck helmed by one of the Therosian Gods or in an enchantress deck. For this particular deck, I was having a hard time nailing down exactly what type of basic fits, but I decided to take this as an opportunity to talk about some of my favorite basics. These two were both done by my favorite <em>Magic</em> artist, <a href="http://www.johnavonart.com/">John Avon</a>. I love the saturation and depth of these two pieces, and the old border looks more like dirt, perfect to fill our graveyard with.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosBasics.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-46170 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosBasics.jpg" alt="" width="520" height="311" /></a></p>
<p>This deck is running a shockingly low number of lands, but we have a work around that I learned from the <a href="https://www.commandersbrew.com/">Commanders Brew</a> podcast. The idea in question is to lower the land count and instead run a bunch of those single-mana spells that tutor for a land, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lay of the Land" href="#" target="_blank">Lay of the Land</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Traverse the Ulvenwald" href="#" target="_blank">Traverse the Ulvenwald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The reason we want these here is to fill our graveyard with the instants/sorceries that only exist to find the land we need. Because Polukranos doesn't care what type of card is in the graveyard and simply wants a larger number of cards in there, we can use these to both fix our mana and fill the graveyard. It's a neat trick that I have wanted to incorporate in a meaningful way for some time.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Second Labor" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Polukranos, Unchained
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Walking Ballista
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Stitcher&#039;s Supplier
*1 Bloodghast
*1 Glowspore Shaman
*1 Hermit Druid
*1 Lotleth Troll
*1 Millikin
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Satyr Wayfinder
*1 Nyx Weaver
*1 Prowling Serpopard
*1 Splinterfright
*1 Springbloom Druid
*1 Stinkweed Imp
*1 Acolyte of Affliction
*1 Brawn
*1 Corpsejack Menace
*1 Erebos, God of the Dead
*1 Polukranos, World Eater
*1 World Shaper
*1 Cavalier of Thorns
*1 Doom Whisperer
*1 Underrealm Lich
*1 Nemesis of Mortals
*1 Vigor
*1 Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
*1 Ghoultree
*1 Molderhulk
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Horizon Spellbomb
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Altar of Dementia
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Perpetual Timepiece
*1 Talisman of Resilience
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Ancient Stirrings
*1 Attune with Aether
*1 Caravan Vigil
*1 Lay of the Land
*1 Traverse the Ulvenwald
*1 Dread Summons
*1 Mulch
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Night&#039;s Whisper
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Ransack the Lab
*1 Regrowth
*1 Sylvan Scrying
*1 Winding Way
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Damnation
*1 Increasing Ambition
*1 Traverse the Outlands
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Decree of Pain
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Veil of Summer
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Corpse Churn
*1 Evolution Charm
*1 Grapple with the Past
*1 Grisly Salvage
*1 Beast Within
*1 Harrow
*1 Moonlight Bargain
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crop Sigil
*1 Vessel of Nascency
*1 Greater Good
*1 Doubling Season
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Blooming Marsh
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*9 Forest
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Nurturing Peatland
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*6 Swamp
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Woodland Cemetery
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>If you're a fan of big creatures and a deck full of two-for-ones, this is the build for you. I'm very intrigued by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Unchained" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Unchained</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. That which at first looks like just a big creature leads to some interesting deckbuilding decisions. A big thanks to Tom, EDHREC's resident Greek expert, for giving me some insight into the name of Polukranos and some other general tidbits for this article.</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! As always, let me know which legendary characters you’d like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>
