<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://martanael.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marta Nael</a></em></p>
<p>It's usually not a good idea to give resources to an opponent, especially many different resources to many different players. Usually, any advantage that an opponent has puts us in the position to lose the game, but but but! I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm actually a huge advocate for <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/group-hug" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Group Hug</a> decks. Not that chaos nonsense, but real Group Hug. I talk about the distinctions in <a href="https://www.coolstuffinc.com/a/cashinds-seo-02042025-how-to-play-group-hug-in-commander" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this article</a>.</p>
<p>To boil it down a little, I discuss that Group Hug is only valid if it has a win condition. I walk through some of the ways to do that in that article, but the concept is to out-value, or use resources against, the opponents. But Group Hug isn't actually the focus on my article, the card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> actually is.</p>
<h2>What Does Ms. Bumbleflower Do?</h2>
<p>She's a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> cost 1/5 creature with vigilance. And whenever you cast a spell, target opponent draws a card, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature, and that creature gains flying until end of turn. When this ability resolves the second time in a turn, you draw two cards.</p>
<p>In the traditional sense, Ms. Bumbleflower has some language on her that seems like Group Hug: she provides card draw to another player whenever you cast a spell.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ms. Bumbleflower"></div></div>
<p>This could be a huge advantage to whatever player gets the advantage. It also does a good job of accelerating the Bumbleflower player as they gain two cards on the second cast, bringing them ahead of each individual they target with the card draw. Additionally, it provides some way to give evasion to their creatures and buff them as blockers. You can even buff other players creatures after casting a cantrip to eke out a bit more damage. It's a good shields-up strategy in the colors of control and combo.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seedborn Muse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Approach of the Second Sun"></div></div>
<p>I imagine in a Group Hug strategy for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> the goal is to get to draw spells and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <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> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Folio of Fancies" href="#" target="_blank">Folio of Fancies</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combo, milling players each turn. Both are slow and steady strategies typical for Bant Control and Draw.</p>
<p>There's a possibility for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tidal Barracuda" href="#" target="_blank">Tidal Barracuda</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to give your spells flash, which, with <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>, can put you massively ahead, giving cards along the way. You could give the card draw to the player whose end step it is to give yourself more time, and not pile value into one player.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Folio of Fancies"></div></div>
<p>If you're starting to wonder when I'll talk about how strong it is to give flying to Bumbleflower and go in for combat damage, you're slightly missing the essence of Group Hug. In Group Hug you have to hide your power level as long as possible, because giving resources puts a target on your back with players who would like to benefit alone, like mid-range players who might be in danger against an Aggro deck with the gasoline of creature and card advantage.</p>
<p>But <em>this</em> is the essence of my article; why aren't we all putting counters on Bumbleflower?</p>
<h2>Ms. Bumbleflower at Her Best</h2>
<p>SURPRISE! This is actually a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Voltron Deck Tech. Hear me out.</p>
<p>Usually the most common Voltron Commanders are in Boros, but Bumbleflower can do it! She is a 1/5 with vigilance. This is insidious because it makes a great blocker and attacker. Cast one spell on your turn and she gets flying, the evasion needed for a strong Voltron commander. She also has a way to buff herself, which is another great addition for a Voltron commander.</p>
<p>Cast a spell, put a +1/+1 on her and give her flying at the cost of giving one other player a card. Cast a second, and fill your hand with two more cards you can cast, while putting on another counter. In one turn she can go from a 1/5 vigilant creature to a 3/7 flying, vigilant creature.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderbolt"></div></div>
<p>Her big toughness makes her survive most <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderbolt" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderbolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, and with enough time to build her up, she can even survive a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She has evasion, protection, built-in card draw, and a way to be a good blocker and attacker.</p>
<h2>Other Voltron Commanders</h2>
<p>What are we usually looking for in a Voltron commander? In a general sense, what players are looking for in a Voltron commander is:</p>
<ul>
<li>Evasion</li>
<li>A way to buff or a good body to buff</li>
<li>Free/discounted cost to buff</li>
<li>Good attacker and/or blocker</li>
<li>Protection</li>
</ul>
<p>The <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/voltron" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top Voltron commanders according to EDHREC</a> are: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rafiq of the Many" href="#" target="_blank">Rafiq of the Many</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Light-Paws, Emperor&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Light-Paws, Emperor&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slicer, Hired Muscle // Slicer, High-Speed Antagonist" href="#" target="_blank">Slicer, Hired Muscle // Slicer, High-Speed Antagonist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. What makes these commanders so popular?</p>
<h3>Rafiq</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rafiq of the Many"></div></div>
<p>Rafiq has exalted (a creature attacking alone gets +1/+1) and gives double strike to any creature attacking alone. It goes from a humble 3/3 to a 4/4 with double strike when it attacks alone. That's potentially eight commander damage, which is usually the goal with a Voltron commander. This kind of deck focuses on many exalted effects combined to buff the hell out of itself or any other creature coming in alone.</p>
<p>Rafiq is in the same colors as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so most of the cards you run in it could translate over easily. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silent Arbiter" href="#" target="_blank">Silent Arbiter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rancor" href="#" target="_blank">Rancor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> create a really spicy combination for this commander, which Bumbleflower could also effectively utilize. Being the only attacker and only blocker is perfect, especially when she's buffed.</p>
<h3>Light-Paws</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Light-Paws, Emperor&#039;s Voice"></div></div>
<p>Light-Paws is a well stated 2/2 for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. Its ability allows for easy and cheap buffs. Casting a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sage&#039;s Reverie" href="#" target="_blank">Sage&#039;s Reverie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets you a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Battle Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="All That Glitters" href="#" target="_blank">All That Glitters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets you into an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ethereal Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Ethereal Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. For six mana Light-Paws is a 14/14 with double strike.</p>
<p>That's lethal commander damage. What it does well is stack up a creature cheaply and quickly with damage. All of these cards are possible in Bumbleflower. The Auras that buff are possible with a commander that gives itself card draw and evasion and buffs, on top of basic stats.</p>
<h3>Slicer</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slicer, Hired Muscle // Slicer, High-Speed Antagonist"></div></div>
<p>Slicer is well stated as a 3/2 converted for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> with haste and first strike. Equipping him with stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beamtown Beatstick" href="#" target="_blank">Beamtown Beatstick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives it a way of connecting with evasion. With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mask of Memory" href="#" target="_blank">Mask of Memory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> you can fill your hand with ways to buff it on contact. Your commander gets additional opportunities to deal combat damage by being passed around.</p>
<p>Sadly, many of Slicer's cards are locked to red, outside of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s wheelhouse, but it runs a ton of Equipment that Bumbleflower can use. She doesn't get additional combats by being passed around, but she might not even need it.</p>
<h2>Fatal Flaws Of Typical Voltron Commanders</h2>
<p>One of the fatal flaws of Voltron is being locked out of blue and green good stuff - stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rancor" href="#" target="_blank">Rancor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Stuff that adds counters are typically green, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hardened Scales" href="#" target="_blank">Hardened Scales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and counter magic is typically blue, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Denial" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Denial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Not being able to interact with spells that remove your commander, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Flicker" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Flicker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> them, or simply <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in response, is huge. Board wipes like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vandalblast" href="#" target="_blank">Vandalblast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <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> go unchecked.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcane Denial"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vandalblast"></div></div>
<p>Most typical Voltron commanders struggle to put up blockers. Usually after a swing, the player is shields down and vulnerable. Running other creatures take away spells that are able to buff your commander. Rafiq doesn't run into this problem, and neither does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Casting an instant can give a creature the ability to fly and buff them as well, making blockers really strong.</p>
<h2>Card Draw Flaw</h2>
<p>I've talked in great detail on how Bumbleflower excels as a Voltron commander, but the big fatal flaw of this deck is giving out card draw. It doesn't seem like a lot, but big stormy turns with Bumbleflower that puts cards in opponents' hands might be your downfall. I can't talk my way out of this one. It is the fatal flaw that tricks most players into seeing this deck only as a Group Hug deck. Card draw on every cast is just so beneficial to other players that it's hard to work around.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Narset, Parter of Veils"></div></div>
<p>But <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Parter of Veils" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Parter of Veils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets around that additional card draw. If you don't see that card, you can also draw more yourself, to have interaction up. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Ageless Insight" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Ageless Insight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could put four cards in hand on your second spell, making sure you have value in hand to mitigate loss. It's out-valuing others in the way Group Hug typically does.</p>
<p>Free counterspells, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fierce Guardianship" href="#" target="_blank">Fierce Guardianship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are huge in this deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="View From Above" href="#" target="_blank">View From Above</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an excellent way to keep a spell up to give Bumbleflower flying when needed. Cantrips like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opt" href="#" target="_blank">Opt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and value spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snap" href="#" target="_blank">Snap</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rewind" href="#" target="_blank">Rewind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can refund themselves. It gives tons of mana value while giving card draw.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="View From Above"></div></div>
<p>Stacking all the powerful things in Voltron that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can do, it can be a very powerful deck, even with its one card draw issue. All I can say is that, just because you give out cards because you have to, doesn't mean your deck has to be Group Hug. Most players are playing Bumbleflower as a Voltron commander covertly behind a bunch of Group Hug effects. It's time to just fully embrace the Voltron.</p>
<p>Either way, tell me what you think. I'm <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/strixhavendropout.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@Strixhavendropout on Bluesky</a>.</p>


Ms. Bumbleflower Is Better as a Voltron Deck

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sergeant John Benton" href="#" target="_blank">Sergeant John Benton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by Wei Guan</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello there! Welcome back to </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Archetypes of Imagination</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the weekly series where I build decks based on popular Commander archetypes using </span><a href="https://tagger.scryfall.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scryfall's tagging system</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and</span><a href="https://edhrec.com/tags" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> EDHREC's Tag pages</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">This week, we'll be building a deck focused on being nice to our opponents, also known as Group Hug. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Partially inspired by </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfG67OLpQoU" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spice8Rack's recent video on group hug decks</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and partially just because I'm such a nice person, we'll be focusing on helping out the other players at the table this week. There's a ton of great group hug commander options, including the recently released <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that Spice talked about. But, I'm looking for a more direct way to win the game - a way to leverage my kindness into victory with ease. So, this train of thought brought me to… <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sergeant John Benton" href="#" target="_blank">Sergeant John Benton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sergeant John Benton"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It's one of the simpler Commander designs in recent memory, but it's certainly a powerful card. For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, we get a 2/4 with trample and haste. And, when this creature hits one of our opponents, both us and the opposing player will draw an amount of cards equal to the damage it dealt. While Benton only has two base power, he's got some extremely relevant abilities (trample and haste) that make him a prime target for pump spells. But, we'll also need some ways to protect our commander, because our hybrid voltron-group hug game plan will make Benton a prime target for opposing removal spells. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It looks like we've got a solid road map for this deck. Let's get brewing</span></p>
<h2>Pump Spells for Sergeant John Benton</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To find pump spells, <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=commander%3Aselesnya+legal%3Aedh+order%3Aedhrec+%28otag%3Aenlarge+or+otag%3Aboost-power+or+otag%3Agiant-growth+or+otag%3Acombat-trick%29&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I searched Scryfall</a> for cards tagged with “enlarge,” “combat trick,” “boost power,” and “giant growth.” </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">There were a ton of options, so I'll stick to talking about the best ones for this deck. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some of my favorite spells are those that provide some benefit beyond just bumping up Benton's power. For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya&#039;s Onslaught" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya&#039;s Onslaught</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also gives him double strike to make sure our opponents feel really, really, really loved by our commander as he smacks them twice. There's also <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Go Forth" href="#" target="_blank">Go Forth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a newer card that can act as a pump spell <em>or</em> fetch a land in a pinch. Although that'll rarely come up with the amount of cards we'll be drawing, I like having that flexibility. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then, one of my favorite combat tricks of all time is here too: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gift of the Viper" href="#" target="_blank">Gift of the Viper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Because Benton has trample, we can ensure that all but one of his power gets dealt to our opponents as combat damage. The interaction between trample and deathtouch is super powerful, so it's great that this spell gives our commander a deathtouch counter to ensure it can keep crashing through for damage turn after turn.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaya&#039;s Onslaught"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Go Forth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gift of the Viper"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There's also more classic pump spells here, like the ever-useful <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Invigorate" href="#" target="_blank">Invigorate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (free spells are always good), the math-intensive <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exponential Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Exponential Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (to ensure we're spreading the love), and the hard-to-get-rid-of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gryff&#039;s Boon" href="#" target="_blank">Gryff&#039;s Boon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (repeatable evasion and a small power boost work well together).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Invigorate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exponential Growth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gryff&#039;s Boon"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In case our opponents don't take kindly to our kindness, I've also included a whole host of protection spells. These can be found with the “protects creature” tag on Scryfall, but I chose to focus on cards that could also pump up our commander (and thus only primarily used ones from our </span><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=commander%3Aselesnya+legal%3Aedh+order%3Aedhrec+%28otag%3Aenlarge+or+otag%3Aboost-power+or+otag%3Agiant-growth+or+otag%3Acombat-trick%29&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">previous Scryfall search</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">). </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There's a ton of these, but my favorites include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vines of Vastwood" href="#" target="_blank">Vines of Vastwood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Take Up the Shield" href="#" target="_blank">Take Up the Shield</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tyvar&#039;s Stand" href="#" target="_blank">Tyvar&#039;s Stand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Vines is a classic, protecting a creature for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and giving it +4/+4 if we can pay another <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. This card is great with or without the kicker, so it's got a slot in this deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Take Up the Shield" href="#" target="_blank">Take Up the Shield</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> won me many a </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Outlaws of Thunder Junction</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Draft last year, so it's possible I'm biased towards this card. But protecting a creature and giving it lifelink for a turn, while also providing it with a permanent (albeit, small) power and toughness boost is a lot for just one card. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tyvar&#039;s Stand" href="#" target="_blank">Tyvar&#039;s Stand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great mana sink should we have some extra on hand, or an on-rate protection spell should that suit the game state better. There's not much more I can ask for from a card.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vines of Vastwood"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Take Up the Shield"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tyvar&#039;s Stand"></div></div></span></p>
<h2>Making Use of a Full Hand</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because we're being so nice to our opponents, our hand will usually be full of cards. Aside from effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reliquary Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Reliquary Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it'll be hard to use all of those cards before we have to discard them. There's a few effects in this deck that make good use of a full hand, though, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nostalgic Dreams" href="#" target="_blank">Nostalgic Dreams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This can let us rebuy our best discarded cards, and any other cards that have happened to make their way to the graveyard over the course of the game (like our pump spells). So, in the late game, if we've got a handful of lands, we can exchange those for our favorite power and toughness boosting effects! </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Should we be more interested in killing our opponents with those cards, we can use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inner Calm, Outer Strength" href="#" target="_blank">Inner Calm, Outer Strength</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Empyrial Plate" href="#" target="_blank">Empyrial Plate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to do just that.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nostalgic Dreams"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inner Calm, Outer Strength"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Empyrial Plate"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before I show you the full decklist, I wanted to shout out a pair of cards from </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lost Caverns of Ixalan</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that make a big splash in this deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar" href="#" target="_blank">Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sovereign Okinec Ahau" href="#" target="_blank">Sovereign Okinec Ahau</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> pair extremely well together: they provide extra power to our already-buffed creatures, protection from our opponents' interactive spells, and even extra card advantage. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sovereign Okinec Ahau"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I find it so cool that two cards from the same set work so well in this deck! Those </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Magic</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> designers really know what they're doing, huh. </span></p>
<h2>Sergeant John Benton Group Hug Deck List</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anyways, as promised, here's the full decklist:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Archetypes of Imagination - Building a Group Hug Deck" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Sergeant John Benton
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Exploration
*1 Gryff&#039;s Boon
*1 Hardy Outlander
*1 Season of Growth
*1 Wild Defiance
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Archdruid&#039;s Charm
*1 Beast Within
*1 Become Immense
*1 Blessed Defiance
*1 Blossoming Defense
*1 Choose Your Weapon
*1 Collective Resistance
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Defend the Rider
*1 Embiggen
*1 Flare of Faith
*1 Fleeting Flight
*1 Gaea&#039;s Gift
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Giant Growth
*1 Gift of the Viper
*1 Go Forth
*1 Groundswell
*1 Inner Calm, Outer Strength
*1 Inscription of Abundance
*1 Invigorate
*1 Kaya&#039;s Onslaught
*1 Might of Old Krosa
*1 Mortal&#039;s Ardor
*1 Mutagenic Growth
*1 Overprotect
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Prey&#039;s Vengeance
*1 Ram Through
*1 Rustler Rampage
*1 Snakeskin Veil
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Take Up the Shield
*1 Titanic Growth
*1 Tyvar&#039;s Stand
*1 Vines of Vastwood
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Avacyn&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Fyndhorn Elves
*1 Guardian Augmenter
*1 Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar
*1 Leonin Lightscribe
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Monastery Mentor
*1 Nyxborn Hydra
*1 Scrawling Crawler
*1 Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
*1 Sovereign Okinec Ahau
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Bushwhack
*1 Exponential Growth
*1 Nostalgic Dreams
*1 Phytoburst
*1 Promise of Loyalty
*1 Scale Up
*1 Single Combat
*1 Summer Bloom
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Caduceus, Staff of Hermes
*1 Empyrial Plate
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway
*1 Brushland
*1 Centaur Garden
*12 Forest
*1 Horizon Canopy
*1 Hushwood Verge
*1 Krosan Verge
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*11 Plains
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Sungrass Prairie
*1 Witch&#039;s Clinic
*1 Wooded Bastion
[/Lands]"></span></div></span></p>
<h2>Hit the Road, Jack</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thanks for reading the latest edition of </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Archetypes of Imagination</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">! Before you go, I wanted to talk about a few cards that I think really make this deck spectacular. We all know that every deck needs board wipes, but the specific ones you choose can make a big difference. Because this deck cares so much about its commander, it would really love to keep it around even when the rest of the board becomes too threatening. That's why I included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Single Combat" href="#" target="_blank">Single Combat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Promise of Loyalty" href="#" target="_blank">Promise of Loyalty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as this deck's sweepers. It's not too big of an adjustment from the typical <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> I'd slam in a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>-based deck, but little adjustments like this are my favorite part about EDH deck building!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Single Combat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Promise of Loyalty"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thanks once again for reading! I'll see you all next week, for another edition of </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Archetypes of Imagination</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">: a group slug deck!</span></p>


Making a Group Hug Commander Deck With Sergeant John Benton

Top 10 Black Group Hug Cards for Gonti, Night Minister

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitter Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Bitter Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://jakemurraystudio.com/">Jake Murray</a>)</h6>
<h1>Becoming Your Pod’s Military Industrial Complex</h1>
<p>Aggro, the first to deal damage. Midrange and its early game chaos. Control, with its faithful counters and removal. And... the furtive Group Hug, so easily forgotten. With the strength of the pod, they challenged notions of traditional play…</p>
<p>Except the Aggro player crashed out turn four. The Control player spent all their mana to keep the Midrange player stunlocked all game.</p>
<p>The only one to profit was the Group Hug player, who never had a win-con. So now you’re three hours into a “forty-minute game of Commander” where decking out is the largest threat you’ll face.</p>
<p>Let’s pour some gasoline on the dumpster fire that is an average game of Commander, shall we?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gluntch, the Bestower"></div></div>
<p><em>I first learned about Group Hugs with Gluntch and never recovered.</em></p>
<h2>What is Group Hug?</h2>
<p>A group hug is when you get more than two people, traditionally three through nine, and you have all of them hug at the same time.</p>
<p>Generally, this begins as a traditional hug with further individuals clinging to that central connection, effectively trapping them.</p>
<p>In Magic, though, it’s a bit more tongue-and-cheek given only one person can win Commander.</p>
<p>The core premise of a Group Hug deck is that your commander’s ability, and perhaps the rest of your deck, functions to assist the other players in their gameplans.</p>
<p>This can be through life gain, card draw, creature creation/buffing, or any other means of empowering your opponents.</p>
<p>The example I always think of is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gluntch, the Bestower" href="#" target="_blank">Gluntch, the Bestower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who chooses three different players to give benefits to every one of your turns.</p>
<p>Crucially, Gluntch cannot choose the same player for every benefit. Therefore, its controller is “forced” to help multiple players. And so the group hug widens to encompass the entire table.</p>
<p>Aggro players want to win quickly. Midrange tries to secure the early game and clean up later. Control wants to ruin everyone’s fun. But Group Hug?</p>
<h2>Why Group Hug?</h2>
<p>Group Hug is a flexible playstyle, capable of being played in any color combination to varying degrees of effectiveness. Multi-colored commanders such as those below:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kenrith, the Returned King"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Círdan the Shipwright"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>Well, black shows up least often, but that was to be expected.</em></strong></p>
<p>There are a few different types of people who would willingly choose to help their opponents in Commander.</p>
<p>You might know some of them. You might be one of them. But you must first understand your enemy to defeat your enemy.</p>
<h3>Chaos Gremlins</h3>
<p>The first type are the chaos gremlins.</p>
<p>These are individuals who, for whatever reason, didn’t come to win. They came to cause chaos and enable their friends to enact mutually assured destruction.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zedruu the Greathearted" href="#" target="_blank">Zedruu the Greathearted</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an example, actively supplying your opponents creatures while sustaining yourself via card draw and life gain.</p>
<p>Pair it with something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harmless Offering" href="#" target="_blank">Harmless Offering</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tahngarth, First Mate" href="#" target="_blank">Tahngarth, First Mate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and suddenly you’re a cardboard arms dealer.</p>
<p>The goal of these chaos gremlins isn’t to “win,” the goal is to cause problems. Oftentimes, they have no win condition built into their deck.</p>
<p>While technically enabling their opponents to take one another out helps get them closer to victory, these decks often can’t stand on their own.</p>
<p>Expect to see a lot of goading your opponents’ creatures to attack everyone but the chaos gremlin and then… Nothing.</p>
<p>Because the chaos gremlin won as soon as they sat down to play.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zedruu the Greathearted"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmless Offering"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tahngarth, First Mate"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>These might not "win games," but they sure make them memorable!</em></strong></p>
<h3>Speedrunners</h3>
<p>Some folks wanna watch the world burn. And they don’t have all night! So they grease the wheels of the game, “helping” everyone insofar as it expedites the ending of the game.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yurlok of Scorch Thrash" href="#" target="_blank">Yurlok of Scorch Thrash</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would fall under this. Sure, it reintroduces mana-burn into the game, where you lose life if you have unspent mana left.</p>
<p>But it also gives free mana to every player. Jund mana, but mana nonetheless. Black has removal. Red can damage. Green can buff. Even if circumstantial, this still is a benefit to the speedrunner’s opponents.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekusar, the Mindrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives card draw at the cost of damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xyris, the Writhing Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Xyris, the Writhing Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> rewards opponents for taking commander damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vazi, Keen Negotiator" href="#" target="_blank">Vazi, Keen Negotiator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives free treasure tokens to opponents explicitly so you can profit from them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kami of the Crescent Moon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Howling Mine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Selvala, Explorer Returned"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>The game will NOT last long with all this card draw.</em></strong></p>
<h3>Realpolitik</h3>
<p>Then there are polysci majors. You think I’m joking, but I’m quite serious!</p>
<p>Commander is fundamentally a game of negotiation. As useful as mana is, as powerful as card draw is, nothing matters if the blue player can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> your most powerful spell and the red player keeps your board clear with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breaking Point" href="#" target="_blank">Breaking Point</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>You need to be able to communicate effectively with the other players to ensure the heat is off of you.</p>
<p>But to do that you need leverage.</p>
<p>Negative leverage—“not” doing something—is well and good. Promising to not swing your 16/16 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kalonian Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Kalonian Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at someone will have some weight to it!</p>
<p>But positive leverage—giving something—is so much more effective. Think of how much leverage <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives by offering card draw to a blue player.</p>
<p>Suddenly, Group Hug goes from being an instrument of chaos to a bargaining chip. These are the Group Hug players who are the most dangerous. Because unlike their chaos gremlin siblings, they almost always have a plan.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breaking Point"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kalonian Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ms. Bumbleflower"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>Positive or negative, leverage is always useful.</em></strong></p>
<h3>A Terrible Example</h3>
<p>A Group Hug player might have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gor Muldrak, Amphinologist" href="#" target="_blank">Gor Muldrak, Amphinologist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. Because they have protection from all the 4/3 Salamanders their opponents now control, their opponents focus on fighting one another.</p>
<p>If opponents attack them with non-Salamanders, they use their Salamanders as blockers. Once the Salamanders die, the Group Hug player has the fewest creatures and gets more Salamanders. Likely at a higher rate than everyone else through means such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Parallel Lives" href="#" target="_blank">Parallel Lives</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>The Group Hug player counters anything that would destroy their commander. They use their card draw from blue and mana from green to make their creatures stronger than anyone else's’.</p>
<p>Perhaps they have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ezuri&#039;s Predation" href="#" target="_blank">Ezuri&#039;s Predation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kibo, Uktabi Prince" href="#" target="_blank">Kibo, Uktabi Prince</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to ensure they have some degree of offensive capability.</p>
<p>In short, they have a “functional” deck or some degree of win condition independent of relying on their opponents bludgeoning each other to zero life.</p>
<p>The rates of success on this vary, though, particularly given that reputations tend to be easy to acquire and hard to leave behind. And once you reveal yourself to be a schemer, no one will ever trust you again.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gor Muldrak, Amphinologist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ezuri&#039;s Predation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kibo, Uktabi Prince"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>Sometimes, your deck needs a lil extra kick to it.</em></strong></p>
<h2>Synergies</h2>
<h3>Synergy With Blue</h3>
<p>Of course blue players would take “helping your friends” and make it evil. Though it is quite devious, so I give them some credit.</p>
<p>When looking at Group Hug commanders, a great deal of them have blue in some capacity. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kwain, Itinerant Meddler" href="#" target="_blank">Kwain, Itinerant Meddler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great example. On its face, Kwain is simply a helpful card that gives everyone more card-draw and life gain.</p>
<p>And then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, the Radiant Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, the Radiant Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns this cute and funny little rabbit into number #2 on the IRS Most Wanted List for tax evasion.</p>
<p>Not to mention, it is never a good idea to allow blue players to draw cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minn, Wily Illusionist" href="#" target="_blank">Minn, Wily Illusionist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> aside, the sheer nonsense a blue player can wreak when allowed more than a single card in-hand is simply unacceptable.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Council of Four"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ian Malcolm, Chaotician"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braids, Conjurer Adept"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>Blue players really know how to twist everything to their benefit, huh?</em></strong></p>
<h3>Synergy With Proliferate</h3>
<p>Did you know Proliferate affects any player or permanent with tokens that you choose? This means that if you have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, you control whether or not the green players get to have fun. All those +1/+1 counters could be doubled—quadrupled—if only they do what you say.</p>
<p>And why would they turn on you? You are keeping their creatures afloat. They’ll save you for last, always. Yet with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres" href="#" target="_blank">Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you drew enough cards to be able to respond to them with an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherize" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Suddenly, they really need you to proliferate again… And then... you become indispensable.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aetherize"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>This is the definition of malicious compliance.</em></strong></p>
<h3>Synergy With Goading</h3>
<p>Goading creatures force pressure on your opponents while leaving you safe. However, commanders such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kros, Defense Contractor" href="#" target="_blank">Kros, Defense Contractor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leave the goaded creature with a shield token and a “go get ‘em, champ!” <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rendmaw, Creaking Nest" href="#" target="_blank">Rendmaw, Creaking Nest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> spams the board with flying tokens who attack anyone but you.</p>
<p>In effect, these sorts of commanders do the heavy lifting of forcing everyone to fight one another without relying on the agreement of your opponents.</p>
<p>And, because you’re playing Group Hug and actively assisting your opponents strategies, they’ll see no reason to stop you. Let them fight, and they will take your gifts. You and the survivor will deal with the one-on-one when it comes to it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tribute to Horobi"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kardur, Doomscourge"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>If you want to goad your opponent, simply give them more creatures to goad!</em></strong></p>
<h2>Word of Warning</h2>
<p>No one who plays Group Hug legitimately wants you to succeed. If they claim to, they are lying. Take them out swiftly and resist their temptations as you would an evil spirit.</p>
<p>If possible, flee like your life is on the line. The rest of your pod will distract them long enough for you to escape. Their sacrifice shall not be in vain, for you shall live a happy, hugless life.</p>
<p>Wait, that sounds so sad.</p>


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