Evasive Maneuvers — Trample

<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

Archetune-Up - A Hunt Most Dire

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<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> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/depingo">Anna Steinbauer</a>)</h6>
<h1>Your Deck... It Needs More Cowbell!</h1>
<p>Hello again, Commander faithful! Welcome back for another installment of <i>Replacement Commanders</i>, the series designed to look at the legendary creatures from the annual <i>Commander</i> precon product that didn't make it onto the face of each deck, and build a precon-like list specifically for them! Each year, we get these amazing commanders that are placed in decks built around a different legendary creature and those abilities and strategies. The series is quickly ending, though I have no idea how soon we'll have even more replacements, what with 2020 being the “Year of Commander” for <i>Wizards of the Coast</i>.</p>
<p>In the last article, we ended with a poll for the remaining two legendary creatures that are missing a color from the decks they were originally printed in. Readers got to vote on which to cover first, and which would be the last of the series. It was close in the end, but most of you wanted to see…</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Tahngarth, First Mate!</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tahngarth, First Mate"></div></div></p>
<p>Admittedly, Tahngarth was not high on my rankings of legendary creatures from last year’s product. For as much as I enjoy the way his first ability works when we can give him menace, nothing in his second ability prevents the person we loan Tahngarth to from just sacrificing him. As someone who loves to use and abuse sacrifice outlets and strategies, it’s mildly unnerving to see a commander that wants to go under other people's control without having the same kind of protection that an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assault Suit" href="#" target="_blank">Assault Suit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would give. However, looking at the EDHREC page for Tahngarth, we can see that people have gravitated more toward an Equipment-based Voltron strategy. This makes me like the way the deck is bound to turn out, as it means that even if there are sacrifice players at the table, it shouldn’t be hard to suit up Tahngarth and get the work done ourselves.</p>
<p>For those games where there are no sacrifice players at the table, a third archetype that people are using with our Minotaur Warrior is “Forced Combat.” Ironically, I said in the last <i>Replacement Commanders</i> installment that I didn’t think this was a category on EDHREC, and <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/forced-combat">it looks like I was wrong</a>! Of course, we shouldn’t be surprised to see how thorough the site’s themes are. After all, it collects so much data from around the internet, I’m sure we have a snapshot of every kind of archetype in the format!</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Building a Better Beater (or Oooh, Shiny New Toys!)</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Embercleave"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hammer of Nazahn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blackblade Reforged"></div></div></p>
<p>The Equipment and Voltron parts of Tahngarth are interwoven, as one of the best ways to make him hit hard and fast is to pile him up with Equipment that makes him stronger. Whenever I look at a commander that wants to wear a lot of Equipment, I always think that, while there should be some bomb cards that shock and awe the table, it’s just as important to have Equipment that act as support cards. This way we don’t have to make the tough choice between taking up card slots on Equipment vs. taking up slots on ramp, removal, etc.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of the Animist" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of the Animist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prying Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Prying Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provide different variations of ramp, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rogue’s Gloves" href="#" target="_blank">Rogue’s Gloves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <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> give us some incremental card advantage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Argentum Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Argentum Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Sinew and Steel" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Sinew and Steel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will get rid of a few pesky parts of our opponents’ battlefields. We will need to also include those bombs that will turn our commander into a one-shot machine. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Embercleave" href="#" target="_blank">Embercleave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been tearing up the Standard scene and still has massive value in Commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blackblade Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Blackblade Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another great option, especially given that we’re in green and will have access to many ways to ramp with our lands. This next card is going to surprise some of you to list as a “bomb” card, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodthirsty Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodthirsty Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a surprising amount of work to facilitate Tahngarth's strategy, ensuring the rest of the table joins us in the red zone.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">This Minotaur Brings the War!</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of the Nightly Hunt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Incite War"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vow of Wildness"></div></div></p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/replacement-commanders-furballs-of-warfare/">In our last article</a> for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marisi, Breaker of the Coil" href="#" target="_blank">Marisi, Breaker of the Coil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we discussed cards that force combat for the table. This means that it's slightly awkward to have another such theme for this article, especially when the commanders share two colors (out of a possible three from Marisi). I don’t want to focus too much on the cards that we went over in the Marisi article that also appear on Tahngarth’s EDHREC page, so instead I want to focus on some other cool cards that are unique to Tahngarth.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vow of Wildness" href="#" target="_blank">Vow of Wildness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vow of Lightning" href="#" target="_blank">Vow of Lightning</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are interesting, inspiring enemies to attack each other with some extra damage, while not being a bad fit on Tahngarth as well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of the Nightly Hunt" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of the Nightly Hunt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be tricky, since the enchanted player may point their aggression in our direction. Still, this opens them up for attacks from our other opponents, so there is room to play the political game, making deals about who to give Tahngarth to, depending on who wants to attack us. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Incite War" href="#" target="_blank">Incite War</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a unique card for this situation, giving Tahngarth first strike before he runs out to assist someone who suddenly is compelled to do some damage on their turn!</p>
<p>Don’t forget the standard card advantage, ramp, removal, and Wraths! Put together, we might have a list like this:</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Tahngarth and His War Toys" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div><br />
[Commander]<br />
*1 Tahngarth, First Mate<br />
[/Commander]<br />
[Creature]<br />
*1 Anger<br />
*1 Beast Whisperer<br />
*1 Brawn<br />
*1 Burnished Hart<br />
*1 Etali, Primal Storm<br />
*1 Eternal Witness<br />
*1 Fumiko the Lowblood<br />
*1 Goblin Diplomats<br />
*1 Goblin Racketeer<br />
*1 Goblin Spymaster<br />
*1 Ogre Battledriver<br />
*1 Reclamation Sage<br />
*1 Solemn Simulacrum<br />
*1 Warmonger Hellkite<br />
[/Creature]<br />
[Sorcery]<br />
*1 Blasphemous Act<br />
*1 Chandra's Ignition<br />
*1 Cultivate<br />
*1 Farseek<br />
*1 Harmonize<br />
*1 Kodama's Reach<br />
*1 Overwhelming Stampede<br />
*1 Pir's Whim<br />
*1 Rampant Growth<br />
*1 Rishkar's Expertise<br />
*1 Vandalblast<br />
[/Sorcery]<br />
[Enchantment]<br />
*1 Curse of the Nightly Hunt<br />
*1 Frenzied Rage<br />
*1 Grand Melee<br />
*1 Madcap Skills<br />
*1 Rancor<br />
*1 Rhythm of the Wild<br />
*1 Rite of the Raging Storm<br />
*1 Vow of Lightning<br />
*1 Vow of Wildness<br />
[/Enchantment]<br />
[Instant]<br />
*1 Beast Within<br />
*1 Chaos Warp<br />
*1 Incite War<br />
*1 Krosan Grip<br />
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker<br />
*1 Thrill of Possibility<br />
[/Instant]<br />
[Artifact]<br />
*1 Arcane Signet<br />
*1 Argentum Armor<br />
*1 Assault Suit<br />
*1 Blackblade Reforged<br />
*1 Bloodforged Battle-Axe<br />
*1 Bloodthirsty Blade<br />
*1 Captain's Hook<br />
*1 Chitinous Cloak<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Darksteel Plate<br />
*1 Embercleave<br />
*1 Fellwar Stone<br />
*1 Gruul Signet<br />
*1 Hammer of Nazahn<br />
*1 Mask of Memory<br />
*1 Prying Blade<br />
*1 Rogue's Gloves<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Swiftfoot Boots<br />
*1 Sword of Sinew and Steel<br />
*1 Sword of the Animist<br />
[/Artifact]<br />
[Land]<br />
*1 Cinder Glade<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Evolving Wilds<br />
*8 Forest<br />
*1 Forge of Heroes<br />
*1 Forgotten Cave<br />
*1 Game Trail<br />
*1 Ghost Quarter<br />
*1 Gruul Turf<br />
*1 Inventors' Fair<br />
*1 Kazandu Refuge<br />
*1 Kessig Wolf Run<br />
*10 Mountain<br />
*1 Opal Palace<br />
*1 Rogue's Passage<br />
*1 Rootbound Crag<br />
*1 Scavenger Grounds<br />
*1 Sheltered Thicket<br />
*1 Stomping Ground<br />
*1 Temple of Abandon<br />
*1 Terramorphic Expanse<br />
*1 Tranquil Thicket<br />
[/Land]<br />
[/Deck]<br />
</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">A Warrior From the Stars? (Get it? Constellation!)</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nylea’s Colossus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bear Umbra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Setessan Champion"></div></div></p>
<p>Something caught my eye when I was reviewing Tahngarth’s EDHREC page: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bear Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Bear Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It got me wondering how many <em>Totem Armor</em> enchantments there were in both green and red, since I am aware of quite a few in green and white. A quick <a href="https://scryfall.com/">Scryfall</a> search showed me that there are only five <em>Totem Armor</em> cards in our colors. Then I added <em>Constellation</em> into the mix. This added eleven more cards to the idea, and with sixteen total, I decided to go all-in on an enchantment version of Tahngarth!</p>
<p>Some of the <em>Constellation</em> cards I want to draw special attention to are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nylea’s Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Nylea’s Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Setessan Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Setessan Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <i>Theros Beyond Death.</i> Colossus turns Tahngarth into a massive threat very quickly, while Champion is another Enchantress-style effect, which is going to be a major subtheme for this list. Naturally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eidolon of Blossoms" href="#" target="_blank">Eidolon of Blossoms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another great <em>Constellation</em> card for card advantage, and we're going to include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Argothian Enchantress" href="#" target="_blank">Argothian Enchantress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enchantress’s Presence" href="#" target="_blank">Enchantress’s Presence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Verduran Enchantress" href="#" target="_blank">Verduran Enchantress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as well, so we can draw all the cards! Since this list won’t be running Equipment cards as our bombs, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Runes of the Deus" href="#" target="_blank">Runes of the Deus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works similarly to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Embercleave" href="#" target="_blank">Embercleave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might just end games. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Destiny Spinner" href="#" target="_blank">Destiny Spinner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seems like a great way to keep control decks from stopping us, while cards like <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> and even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Road of Return" href="#" target="_blank">Road of Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give us some recursion.</p>
<p>Wrap the list up with some removal, Wraths, ramp, and a few more bits of card advantage, and the list comes out looking like this:</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Warrior of the Stars" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div><br />
[Commander]<br />
*1 Tahngarth, First Mate<br />
[/Commander]<br />
[Creature]<br />
*1 Acidic Slime<br />
*1 Argothian Enchantress<br />
*1 Burnished Hart<br />
*1 Destiny Spinner *<br />
*1 Eidolon of Blossoms<br />
*1 Eternal Witness<br />
*1 Eternal Witness<br />
*1 Humbler of Mortals<br />
*1 Manglehorn<br />
*1 Nessian Wanderer *<br />
*1 Nexus Wardens *<br />
*1 Nylea's Colossus<br />
*1 Ohran Frostfang<br />
*1 Reclamation Sage<br />
*1 Setessan Champion *<br />
*1 Skullwinder<br />
*1 Solemn Simulacrum<br />
*1 Verduran Enchantress<br />
*1 Wood Elves<br />
*1 Xenagos, God of Revels<br />
[/Creature]<br />
[Sorcery]<br />
*1 Blasphemous Act<br />
*1 Cultivate<br />
*1 Faithless Looting<br />
*1 Farseek<br />
*1 Kodama's Reach<br />
*1 Rampant Growth<br />
*1 Regrowth<br />
*1 Rishkar's Expertise<br />
*1 Road of Return<br />
*1 Seasons Past<br />
*1 Soul's Majesty<br />
*1 Vandalblast<br />
[/Sorcery]<br />
[Artifact]<br />
*1 Arcane Signet<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Fellwar Stone<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Swiftfoot Boots<br />
*1 Thran Dynamo<br />
*1 Worn Powerstone<br />
[/Artifact]<br />
[Enchantment]<br />
*1 Ancestral Mask<br />
*1 Asceticism<br />
*1 Bear Umbra<br />
*1 Boar Umbra<br />
*1 Colossal Majesty<br />
*1 Enchantress's Presence<br />
*1 Frenzied Rage<br />
*1 Giant Spectacle<br />
*1 Goblin War Drums<br />
*1 Gruul War Chant<br />
*1 Keen Sense<br />
*1 Madcap Skills<br />
*1 Rancor<br />
*1 Runes of the Deus<br />
*1 Sixth Sense<br />
*1 Snake Umbra<br />
*1 Spider Umbra<br />
*1 Sylvan Library<br />
[/Enchantment]<br />
[Instant]<br />
*1 Beast Within<br />
*1 Heroic Intervention<br />
*1 Krosan Grip<br />
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker<br />
[/Instant]<br />
[Land]<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Evolving Wilds<br />
*12 Forest<br />
*1 Forge of Heroes<br />
*1 Forgotten Cave<br />
*1 Ghost Quarter<br />
*1 Kessig Wolf Run<br />
*9 Mountain<br />
*1 Opal Palace<br />
*1 Rogue's Passage<br />
*1 Rootbound Crag<br />
*1 Scavenger Grounds<br />
*1 Stomping Ground<br />
*1 Strip Mine<br />
*1 Taiga<br />
*1 Temple of Abandon<br />
*1 Terramorphic Expanse<br />
*1 Tranquil Thicket<br />
*1 Wooded Foothills<br />
[/Land]<br />
[/Deck]<br />
</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong> Just a friendly reminder that this second list is less about that "precon" feel and more just "What would Seth do with this commander?" Therefore, there is less of a budget restriction in the list, hence seeing cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taiga" href="#" target="_blank">Taiga</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">First Mate, But Not the Last Replacement!</h2>
<p>Phew! I won’t lie, this was not the easiest article of the series to write. As I said in the beginning, in my eyes, Tahngarth was not the most interesting legendary creature to come out of this year’s product. Still, that is obviously down to personal preference, and I recognize that Tahngarth is still a very powerful commander with explosive plays. I'm both very excited and very nervous for this year, since we're getting so many additional precons. Hopefully this means we'll be getting an even wider array of unique abilities and strategies to play with!</p>
<p>There are three more Replacements left to go over for the 2019 product, and they have some spicy, interesting builds to investigate! Of course, if you need some more Commander talk in your life, you can <a href="https://www.twitter.com/DM_Cross">follow me on Twitter</a> or join the <a href="https://discord.gg/CrNHmTE">public Praetor Magic Discord server</a>. Praetor Magic is the content creation team I run with my wife and some friends, so feel free to check us out throughout the week on <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/praetormagic">Twitch</a> or see our previous content on our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/praetormagic">YouTube channel</a>! Until next time…</p>
<p>Thanks for reading!</p>


Replacement Commanders - Tahngarth Goes to War!

Commander Showdown - Ruric Thar vs Nikya

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grumgully, the Generous" href="#" target="_blank">Grumgully, the Generous</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="https://www.mceran-art.com/">Milivoj Ćeran</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>This week we'll be exploring one of the most interesting commanders released in <em>Throne of Eldraine. </em>He's a very generous Goblin whose versatility makes him incredibly fun to build around: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grumgully, the Generous" href="#" target="_blank">Grumgully, the Generous</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grumgully, the Generous"></div></div>
<p><strong>Each other non-Human creature you control enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it. </strong></p>
<p>Observation 1:</p>
<p>While I appreciate the versatility of the card, I feel that there's something wrong with the non-Human cards of <em>Throne of Eldraine</em>. They feel a lot like Changelings, whose support is helpful, but may erode a little bit of a tribe's unique identity.</p>
<p>Observation 2:</p>
<p><em>Persist</em> creatures come back into play with a -1/-1 counter, which Grumgully's +1/+1 counter would eliminate. With a free sacrifice outlet, that means we have a important combo piece in the command zone, and with red in the color identity, we even have great ways to capitalize on the infinite ETB triggers that result from this combo.</p>
<p>Observation 3:</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grumgully, the Generous" href="#" target="_blank">Grumgully, the Generous</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> puts counters on both nontoken <em>and</em> token creatures entering the battlefield. This opens up quite a few ways to build him, and makes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animation Module" href="#" target="_blank">Animation Module</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in particular, quite strong.</p>
<p>Observation 4:</p>
<p>As a Goblin commander, Grumgully seems great. A <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metallic Mimic" href="#" target="_blank">Metallic Mimic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the command zone is awesome, and access to green creature-based tutors and card draw can really boost the consistency of the tribe.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Grumgully-Sig.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-41175" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Grumgully-Sig.png" alt="" width="546" height="284" /></a></p>
<p>As we can see, the average Grumgully list tries to utilize the interaction between Grumgully and creatures with <em>Persist</em> to make infinite ETB effects with a sacrifice outlet. There's also a low-key Goblin tribal strategy hidden within those cards, which we can see with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Matron" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Matron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcbound Ravager"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hardened Scales"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Death&#039;s Presence"></div></div></div>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/epic-experiment-olivia-modular/">Back in April</a>, I wrote about an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Olivia, Mobilized For War" href="#" target="_blank">Olivia, Mobilized For War</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> build that sought to use her as a way to put counters on <em>Modular</em> creatures. When <em>Modern Horizons</em> was released, I saw some great additions to that list. Then <em>Throne of Eldraine</em> was spoiled, and with it came this very strange Goblin, with crazy art and basically the same ability I was using Olivia for. The best part is that Grumgully is a Gruul commander, meaning that we actually get +1/+1 counter support from green, which is something we didn't have when we were in Rakdos!</p>
<p>Grumgully is great as a support for this kind of <em>Affinity</em> aggro, because the robots used in the deck are never Humans that Grumgully would ignore. This, combined with the counter support from green, means that we go tall pretty quickly. <em>Modular</em> creatures are a great way to keep from getting blown out by single-target removal, since the counters can just go to another creature.</p>
<p>Some of the new cards available to us really shift the list into overdrive. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Truth and Justice" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Truth and Justice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great protection against target-based exile removal and has the powerful upside to <em>Proliferate</em> our counters, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pir, Imaginative Rascal" href="#" target="_blank">Pir, Imaginative Rascal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <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> are great ways to increase the number of counters that we get, turning even our smaller creatures into giants.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Great Henge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scrap Mastery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return of the Wildspeaker"></div></div>
<p>Not only do we get those amazing enablers, we also get plenty of great support! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspiring Call" href="#" target="_blank">Inspiring Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is flexible card draw that can be used as the ultimate "Gotcha!" against a control player's <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>. Getting to play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Great Henge" href="#" target="_blank">The Great Henge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is always a treat, and accruing even more counters while drawing cards is an amazing feeling. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Death&#039;s Presence" href="#" target="_blank">Death&#039;s Presence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effectively gives all of our creatures <em>Modular, </em>and even stacks with the actual <em>Modular </em>creatures.</p>
<p>Like its Rakdos counterpart, we are also packing a reanimator package to get full advantage of our death triggers. The Goblin trio of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Engineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Welder" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Welder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great source of constant in-and-out-of-the-battlefield triggers. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also always a great way to come back into the game. Just be careful about possible enemy artifacts coming back, too.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Grumgully Affinity" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Artifact]
*Everflowing Chalice
*Animation Module
*Skullclamp
*Sol Ring
*Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*Arcane Signet
*Fellwar Stone
*Gruul Signet
*Mind Stone
*Talisman of Impulse
*Throne of Geth
*Sword of Truth and Justice
*Mystic Forge
*Cauldron of Souls
*the Great Henge
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*Hangarback Walker
*Stonecoil Serpent
*Walking Ballista
*Arcbound Worker
*Goblin Welder
*Sparring Construct
*Arcbound Ravager
*Arcbound Slith
*Arcbound Stinger
*Goblin Engineer
*Loyal Apprentice
*Myr Retriever
*Steel Overseer
*Chief of the Foundry
*Evolution Sage
*Foundry Inspector
*Iron Bully
*Pir, Imaginative Rascal
*Scrap Trawler
*Shimmer Myr
*Thopter Engineer
*Tuskguard Captain
*Arcbound Crusher
*Arcbound Hybrid
*Arcbound Reclaimer
*Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
*Arcbound Bruiser
*Arcbound Fiend
*Triskelion
*Wurmcoil Engine
*Myr Battlesphere
[/Creature]
[Sorcery]
*Trash For Treasure
*Chain Reaction
*Triumph of the Hordes
*Scrap Mastery
*Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*Blasphemous Act
[/Sorcery]
[Instant]
*Heroic Intervention
*Return to Nature
*Chaos Warp
*Inspiring Call
*Return of the Wildspeaker
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter
*Daretti, Scrap Savant
*Ugin, the Ineffable
[/Planeswalker]
[Enchantment]
*Hardened Scales
*Rhythm of the Wild
*Death&#039;s Presence
[/Enchantment]
[Land]
*Command Tower
*Stomping Ground
*Spire Garden
*City of Brass
*Mana Confluence
*Karplusan Forest
*Rootbound Crag
*Temple of Abandon
*Karn&#039;s Bastion
*Inventors&#039; Fair
*Buried Ruin
*Ghost Quarter
*Tectonic Edge
*12 Forest
*11 Mountain
[/Land]"></span></div>
<hr />
<p>The list packs a lot of punch, especially with all the great support that gives our creatures combative keywords. For haste, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thopter Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Thopter Engineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhythm of the Wild" href="#" target="_blank">Rhythm of the Wild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tuskguard Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Tuskguard Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives trample to all creatures with +1/+1 counters (which is basically all of them). <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also helps us protect ourselves against board destruction.</p>
<p>For standalone threats, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Traxos, Scourge of Kroog" href="#" target="_blank">Traxos, Scourge of Kroog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is a nice beater regardless of counters, since we can constantly untap it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stonecoil Serpent" href="#" target="_blank">Stonecoil Serpent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also a great beater that can grow regardless of how much we support it, but we also have plenty of support to give it.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
<p>For our opening hand, we're looking for easy access to our commander. Even though they won't necessarily allow us to play our commander before turn three, a two-mana rock like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gruul Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Gruul Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great way to accelerate our turns without sacrificing our curve. Also, as an aggressive deck, we need a few creatures to go with our hand. If we happen to find an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animation Module" href="#" target="_blank">Animation Module</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this is an army-in-a-can, and can pretty much carry us all the way if we manage to keep Grumgully alive.</p>
<p>The early game is pretty much divided into two parts: before Grumgully, and after Grumgully. The first part is all setup, which means that we'll be building towards playing our commander, so we're either developing our mana or playing support cards, 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>. Transitioning to the mid-game involves capitalizing on all the preparations we've made. In other words, curving out on mana is the most important part of our plan.</p>
<p>In the mid-game we should have a strong board presence, with our commander making any creatures we play just a little bigger. This is where we need to find the "bigger guns" and support cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Great Henge" href="#" target="_blank">The Great Henge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These cards help us survive the point of the game where people start casting Wraths, since sheer brute force won't get us through them alone.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triumph of the Hordes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tuskguard Captain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Traxos, Scourge of Kroog"></div></div>
<p>In the late game we have all sorts of epic plays, from great draw spells (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rishkar&#039;s Expertise" href="#" target="_blank">Rishkar&#039;s Expertise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), to great finishers (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triumph of the Hordes" href="#" target="_blank">Triumph of the Hordes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), or even comeback tools like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We're vulnerable to a removal-heavy opposition since we tend to need a wide board, but since we can go pretty tall pretty fast, it eases the burden of having to close out quickly.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Domri, Anarch of Bolas"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Forge"></div></div>
<p>For those seeking potential upgrades, planeswalkers are great additions to the list. There are many Gruul planeswalkers that can provide the needed support for our creatures and synergize pretty well with our counters and our <em>Proliferate </em>effects. In that vein, <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> is a great addition to the list if we're adding more planeswalkers.</p>
<p>For faster acceleration in more aggressive metas, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Opulence" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Opulence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can help us get ahead of the opposition. On the other hand, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (and probably some more ways to cheat it into play) can help fight through more control-oriented metas. The list goes pretty deep with artifact creatures, so cutting some of the them to add more streamlined card draw might help balance the deck out.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment!</em> What do you think about this list? Is this a well-oiled machine? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which didn’t you? Was the <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


Epic Experiment - Grumgully Affinity

Mind Bend - Gruul Control

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhythm of the Wild" href="#" target="_blank">Rhythm of the Wild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.morano.pl/main.php">Tomasz Jedruszek</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 fragment that makes up a legendary creature and give them a little extra background love. This time around we’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghired, Conclave Exile" href="#" target="_blank">Ghired, Conclave Exile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghired, Conclave Exile"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Ghired is from the plane of Ravnica and was initially aligned with the Selesnya Conclave. After witnessing the manifestation of the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ilharg, the Raze-Boar" href="#" target="_blank">Ilharg, the Raze-Boar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leading up to Bolas' attempt to complete <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Elderspell" href="#" target="_blank">The Elderspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ritual, he shifted allegiance to the Gruul Clans. Ghired maintains a deep love and connection to animals and the magic of the Selesnya. He calls upon Boars, Rhinos, and other large beasts to aid his destruction.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ilharg, the Raze-Boar"></div></div>
<p>The recently-released <a href="https://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/guildmasters-guide-ravnica">Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica</a> is an amazing resource for learning about Ravnican city life. It's the first place where guildless members of society are specifically mentioned. When looking at cards from Ravnica, it's easy to overlook the fact that not every member of society is affiliated with a guild. In fact, approximately 50% of the denizens of Ravnica maintain a life apart from guilds. The module guide also describes what it takes to transfer from one guild to another, an uncommon but not unheard of practice. If you're interested in learning more about Ravnica as a setting, I highly recommend checking it out. For those of you who also happen to play Dungeons and Dragons, there's also the upside of running a campaign in Ravnica with this book.<a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/d-d-gm-guide-ravnica-map-misc.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-38634 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/d-d-gm-guide-ravnica-map-misc.jpg" alt="" width="233" height="350" /></a></p>
<p>Ghired went through a transformation while witnessing the glory of Ilharg, undergoing a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shamanic Revelation" href="#" target="_blank">Shamanic Revelation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Profound Journey" href="#" target="_blank">Profound Journey</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> left him questioning both his own beliefs and the belief structure of the Selesnya Conclave, culminating in his exile. Let's look closely at each aspect of his card to give him a deck that befits this transformation.</p>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Name:<a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredName.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-38608 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredName.png" alt="" width="395" height="103" /></a></h2>
<p><strong>Exile:</strong> to expel and bar someone from their native country</p>
<p>The story blurb does not indicate that the speaker of the Selesnya Conclave had anything to do with Ghired leaving. His name, however, tells a different story: Ghired left of his own volition, uprooting his life and heading to the Rubblebelt, a discontinuous archipelago of reclaimed city, long since abandoned, left to be taken over by the flora and fauna of Ravnica. This is where the Gruul Clans call home. Each member of the Selesnya is closely connected with a Voda, a Dryad that leads the community and unites each member with the Worldsoul, a manifestation of nature itself whose current form is that of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Abandoning the guild in order to serve a new god wounded the Worldsoul personally. Severing of the connection through any means other than those that are proper invites the punishment of banishment.</p>
<p>You might say that Ghired went on an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otherworldly Journey" href="#" target="_blank">Otherworldly Journey</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a card which not only represents his story but which also synergizes beautifully with his enter-the-battlefield ability. We'll be sure to include extra effects like this in our final build! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ilharg, the Raze-Boar" href="#" target="_blank">Ilharg, the Raze-Boar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Ghired's inspiration, also makes an appearance, and also synergizes nicely with these types of cards; if Ilharg puts a large creature into play and we flicker it with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otherworldly Journey" href="#" target="_blank">Otherworldly Journey</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that creature won't be returned to our hand at the end of the turn. As such, we'll look for a large suite of creatures that have a big impact on the board, preferably creating tokens or generating ramp.</p>
<p>Along these lines, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudstone Curio" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudstone Curio</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a centerpiece to generate massive amounts of value. Whenever we play a creature that comes in with a token, we're able to bounce the nontoken creature back to our hand, recast it, and so on. I discovered an accidental infinite loop using the Curio, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burning-Tree Emissary" href="#" target="_blank">Burning-Tree Emissary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flameshadow Conjuring" href="#" target="_blank">Flameshadow Conjuring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These three cards generate infinite red and green mana, as well as infinite Emissary tokens with haste. If you are somehow unable to attack, adding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impact Tremors" href="#" target="_blank">Impact Tremors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to the loop can take care of that.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloudstone Curio"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Burning-Tree Emissary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flameshadow Conjuring"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredCost.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-38607 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredCost.png" alt="" width="175" height="84" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Red: </strong>Freedom of expression is of utmost importance.</p>
<p><strong>Green: </strong>Nature before all else. Darwinism at its finest.</p>
<p><strong>White: </strong>All for one, one for all. Utilitarianism's most extreme version.</p>
<p><strong>Selesnya </strong>(GW)<strong>: </strong>The Selesnya Conclave believes in a harmonious union of nature and civilization. Conclave members dream of embracing all of Ravnica in their "peaceful" union. Their growing army resists the ambition and destructive impulses of other guilds.</p>
<p><strong>Gruul </strong>(RG)<strong>: </strong>The Gruul Clans are the most out of place on Ravnica. They desire a fresh start and are eager to topple the established city in order to reclaim the land in the name of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Natural Order" href="#" target="_blank">Natural Order</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>The two guilds share the color of green in their identity, so I assume Ghired's main affiliation is with green mana. A strong connection to nature is essential to him, which is realized through his ability to call upon the power of large green creatures. The deck is balanced heavily toward green to showcase his identity.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Selesnya Signet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gruul Signet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Natural Order"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredArt.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-38611 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredArt.png" alt="" width="571" height="417" /></a></p>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">(Art by <a href="http://conceptartworld.com/news/guardians-galaxy-vol-2-concept-art-john-dickenson/">Yongjae Choi</a>)</h5>
<p>I love the way both guilds' garb comes together in this piece. Ghired understands the merit of quality armor, carrying a piece of the Selesnya with him at all times. The added horns and scavenged material really push the feel of Ghired's initiation to the Gruul clan, highlighted most by his bright red pants.</p>
<p>Less prominently displayed is the stampede of Rhinos behind him. I've seen a good amount of gameplay with this deck and can attest that there will indeed be a stampede of Rhinos trampling over your opponents. The Rhino token Ghired creates upon entering the battlefield is a fantastic target for <em>Populate,</em> and with constant access to him, you'll be guaranteed to see loads them. It's a good thing <em>WotC</em> supplied preconstructed deck buyers with plenty of tokens to represent his stampede. (This is sarcasm; for those unaware, the deck only came with a single Rhino token)</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredType.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-38610 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredType.png" alt="" width="593" height="53" /></a></p>
<p>In a recent <a href="https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/187535331893/is-cleric-considered-a-spellcaster-type-are">Blogatog post from Mark Rosewater</a>, it was specified that each color now has a designated spellcasting creature type primarily linked to it.</p>
<ul>
<li>White - Cleric</li>
<li>Blue - Wizard</li>
<li>Black - Warlock</li>
<li>Red - Shaman</li>
<li>Green - Druid</li>
</ul>
<p>I find it strange that Ghired would be considered a Shaman then, given that it is primarily considered the red spellcaster type. As we explored with his mana cost, the guilds he has been aligned with are Selesnya and Gruul. The only color shared by the two is green, so given this new categorization I would have guessed Ghired would be a Druid. Just like with mechanics, though, I understand that it is not a hard and fast rule. Some iconic green-aligned Shaman creatures are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakura-Tribe Elder" href="#" target="_blank">Sakura-Tribe Elder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <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>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oracle of Mul Daya" href="#" target="_blank">Oracle of Mul Daya</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We'll make sure to give Ghired some other Shamans in his deck, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonmaster Outcast" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonmaster Outcast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is both flavorful and powerful if we're able to duplicate those Dragon tokens!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredRules.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-38609 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ghiredRules.png" alt="" width="594" height="299" /></a></p>
<p>As we explored earlier, the primary strategy of the deck is to utilize enter-the-battlefield abilities. However, there are some very effective cards that allow us to attack with ease, enabling Ghired's <em>Populate </em>trigger <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reconnaissance" href="#" target="_blank">Reconnaissance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can save any of our creatures from unprofitable attacks and, because of unintuitive timing in combat, lets us untap each creature that attacked after it has dealt damage, effectively giving our team vigilance. The other two enablers are less tricky: both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dolmen Gate" href="#" target="_blank">Dolmen Gate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iroas, God of Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Iroas, God of Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> prevent damage dealt to our attacking creatures. Iroas has additional benefit of giving our team menace. That's not his primary purpose here, but it doesn't hurt.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reconnaissance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dolmen Gate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Iroas, God of Victory"></div></div>
<p>My final recommendation for the combat-focused portion of the deck is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breath of Fury" href="#" target="_blank">Breath of Fury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: with this Aura attached to a Rhino token and Ghired on the board (and at least one opponent we can attack profitably), we can keep giving ourself extra combat steps.</p>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/basics.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-38653 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/basics.jpg" alt="" width="682" height="317" /></a></p>
<p>The guild kits released with the recent Ravnica sets gave us some very cool and highly thematic basic lands to use with this build. Ghired is now aligned with Gruul, so both red and green lands are going to be the Gruul basics, while the white influence of Selesnya can be represented by the plains.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudstone Curio" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudstone Curio</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the second most expensive card in the deck behind <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enlightened Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Enlightened Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which we're going to use to find the Curio. Cloudstone Curio is one of the most important cards in the deck, so that's an easy keep. A tutor can be replaced with consistent card draw, but what I like about this one is the ability to find either half of the combo as well as other important artifacts and enchantments, such as those that enable us to attack with impunity.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="A Journey to Value Town" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Ghired, Conclave Exile
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Dragonmaster Outcast
*1 Elvish Reclaimer
*1 Burning-Tree Emissary
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Vitu-Ghazi Guildmage
*1 Draconic Disciple
*1 Eldrazi Displacer
*1 Farhaven Elf
*1 Reclamation Sage
*1 Selesnya Eulogist
*1 Wood Elves
*1 Bramble Sovereign
*1 Elvish Piper
*1 Iroas, God of Victory
*1 Temur Sabertooth
*1 Biogenic Ooze
*1 Ilharg, the Raze-Boar
*1 Militant Angel
*1 Thragtusk
*1 Wingmate Roc
*1 Armada Wurm
*1 Bane of Progress
*1 Avenger of Zendikar
*1 Krosan Tusker
*1 End-Raze Forerunners
*1 Decimator of the Provinces
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Dolmen Gate
*1 Gruul Signet
*1 Selesnya Signet
*1 Thaumatic Compass
*1 Cloudstone Curio
*1 Panharmonicon
*1 Conjurer&#039;s Closet
*1 Minion Reflector
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Farseek
*1 Ghired&#039;s Belligerence
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Entreat the Angels
*1 Decimate
*1 Natural Order
*1 Shamanic Revelation
*1 Phyrexian Rebirth
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Profound Journey
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Otherworldly Journey
*1 Eerie Interlude
*1 Sylvan Reclamation
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Reconnaissance
*1 Impact Tremors
*1 Boar Umbra
*1 Elemental Bond
*1 Fervor
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
*1 Anointed Procession
*1 Breath of Fury
*1 Flameshadow Conjuring
*1 Parallel Lives
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Domri, Chaos Bringer
[/Planeswalker]
[Lands]
*1 Boros Guildgate
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Endless Sands
*8 Forest
*1 Gruul Guildgate
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Homeward Path
*1 Jungle Shrine
*1 Mirrorpool
*4 Mountain
*6 Plains
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scattered Groves
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Selesnya Guildgate
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
*1 Sunpetal Grove
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>Ghired is a powerful commander that can be abused in a couple of ways. I believe pushing his ETB ability will yield stronger results, as attacking with your commander always comes with risks. Being so recent, it is hard to gauge what his <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/ghired-conclave-exile">EDHREC page</a> will look like in final builds, but I'm excited to see it.</p>
<p>What do you think about Ghired? What are your impressions on <em>Commander 2019</em> in general? I'd love to hear your thoughts. 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>


Lore Seeker - An Exile's Path

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Copperhorn Scout" href="#" target="_blank">Copperhorn Scout</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://shelly-wan.squarespace.com/">Shelly Wan</a>)</h6>
<h1>I Got Rhythm</h1>
<p>Friends! Romans! Countrymen! Welcome back to another <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>, where we put on display the hyper-underplayed cards of EDHREC by brewing up a fun and extra-janky deck. As promised in the last article, this week we're diving into a Gruul deck. However, in a bizarre twist, this combination of red and green is going to be focused on doing something very blue. We're tapping stuff like crazy!</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-34438" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/tenor.gif" alt="" width="320" height="184" /></p>
<p>I know this may seem a little daffy, but red and green used to have loads of options related to tap effects. We can see small hints of the remains of those abilities in current <em>Magic. </em>Green, forexample, which used to tap or untap things more regularly, now has the vigilance mechanic (such as on cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Greenwood Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Greenwood Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>). Red, meanwhile, moved from tapping permanents into just preventing them from blocking (see <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Siegebreaker Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Siegebreaker Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<p>We're going to dip heavily into the past for some of these tapping cards, and pair them with current bombs to create some very unique interactions. Since we're talking about removing opposing blockers, it just makes sense to go with a commander like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Warlord Radha" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Warlord Radha</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This deck should be doing a lot of attacking, and what better Gruul legend capitalizes on that?</p>
<hr />
<h2>A Horse is a Horse of Course of Course</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thundermare"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shrieking Mogg"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Timbermare"></div></div>
<p>The idea behind this deck comes from the recent printing of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ilharg, the Raze-Boar" href="#" target="_blank">Ilharg, the Raze-Boar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. As has been covered in endless deck techs by now, this card pairs very well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thundermare" href="#" target="_blank">Thundermare</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Swing in with Ilharg, toss out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thundermare" href="#" target="_blank">Thundermare</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the Raze-Boar's attack trigger, then the horsey taps down the field and allows your team to shoot right through any defenses. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thundermare" href="#" target="_blank">Thundermare</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only sees play right now in 138 decks, but this is definitely an awesome combo.</p>
<p>Some friends of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thundermare" href="#" target="_blank">Thundermare</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can also join the party, and they're similarly underplayed. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shrieking Mogg" href="#" target="_blank">Shrieking Mogg</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Goblin version of the mass-tapper, and is in only 90 decks. Green can provide <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Timbermare" href="#" target="_blank">Timbermare</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (97 decks) as another Elemental Horse with the same ability. Who cares about <em>Echo</em> when Ilharg returns the creature back to your hand at end of turn? With these additional creatures to extend the theme, it's important to include an alternative to Ilharg, which is why <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Piper" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Piper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes the deck. Use the Piper's ability after attackers are declared to throw a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shrieking Mogg" href="#" target="_blank">Shrieking Mogg</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> onto the field and tap down the opposing team!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Tapped or Untapped, Either Way...</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pheres-Band Tromper"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pheres-Band Raiders"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satyr Nyx-Smith"></div></div>
<p>While some may say I was <em>inspired</em> while brewing this deck, others will say that's a terrible pun. Either way, when creatures are regularly getting tapped and untapped, those with <em>Inspired</em> abilities will help us maximize the effectiveness of the theme. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pheres-Band Tromper" href="#" target="_blank">Pheres-Band Tromper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets bigger and bigger with each untapping, and only sees play in 45 decks. While it's not a great card on the surface, I expect its power to grow quickly, given the tappy shenanigans flying around in this brew. Plus, there's no need for evasion when all potential blockers are getting tapped down.</p>
<p>Instead of going tall, there's also the option to go wide. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pheres-Band Raiders" href="#" target="_blank">Pheres-Band Raiders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satyr Nyx-Smith" href="#" target="_blank">Satyr Nyx-Smith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> help with that by providing a token when they untap (for a small fee). Both are heavily underplayed, only appearing in 37 and 40 decks, respectively. I'm not too psyched that the tokens cost mana to generate, but these cards definitely fit into the overall plan for this deck. They felt like an auto-include to me.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Medics"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spireside Infiltrator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Centaur Omenreader"></div></div>
<p>The other side of this coin are the creatures that trigger abilities when they're tapped. Going back to my heyday in the <em>Urza's Saga</em> block, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Medics" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Medics</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (23 decks) is a neat pinger that will go off when one of the Mares taps down the board. Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spireside Infiltrator" href="#" target="_blank">Spireside Infiltrator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a more current pinger that only hits players, but shoots all opponents instead of targeting just one. Despite being a newer card, it's only in 77 decks at this time.</p>
<p>I'm shocked this next card, which only gets better upon tapping, sees so little play - only 154 decks. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Centaur Omenreader" href="#" target="_blank">Centaur Omenreader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is incredibly versatile for any creature-based deck, and will come in handy here to help drop the cost of some of our more expensive cards (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="End-Raze Forerunners" href="#" target="_blank">End-Raze Forerunners</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for instance). With the return of snow permanents in <em>Modern Horizons</em>, I expect the Omenreader to become a more popular option when fleshing out that theme, and hopefully this number will go up.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Support Spells</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Onslaught"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Winter Blast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadshot"></div></div>
<p>Enough with the creatures. Let's look at the spells that're going to help us tap down blockers in case Ilharg and friends are still buried in the 99. First up is a favorite of mine from <em>Exodus</em> called <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Onslaught" href="#" target="_blank">Onslaught</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This enchantment lets you tap down a creature whenever you cast a creature spell. This is great for removing potential blockers, but also can be used on your own <em>Inspired</em> creatures to save them from the dangers of combat and still get their untap effects. It only sees play in 45 decks, and I think that's very low for the effectiveness of this card, especially in red.</p>
<p>Last printed in <em>5th Edition</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Blast" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Blast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> feels very blue until you get to the second sentence about damaging flyers. Frankly, though, we only care about abusing the first sentence. Knocking off some flying baddies is just icing on the cake. It's only being played right now in 18 decks, which is understandable given the low power level of this card, but I'd argue that this is a very unique ability for green to have access to, and that the number should therefore be higher.</p>
<p>Also only appearing in 18 decks, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadshot" href="#" target="_blank">Deadshot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a form of red removal that potentially removes two creatures from combat in one shot. This card gets even better as the number of players in the game increases. There's nothing sweeter than using one opponent's creature to remove another.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blockbuster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Entangling Vines"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mudslide"></div></div>
<p>In any other deck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blockbuster" href="#" target="_blank">Blockbuster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> comes off as pretty humdrum. Seven mana to deal 3 damage to everything is quite a bit. However, if you're able to manipulate the battlefield appropriately, this enchantment turns into a one-sided board wipe. The separation of the cost (five mana to cast but two mana to activate) means that you can tag this onto the tail end of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Blast" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Blast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fairly easily. Similarly, you can always wait until after an untap trigger from your <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> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to leave your creatures unscathed.</p>
<p>I'm wary of encountering any of the God-Eternals that recently made their debut, and have been adjusting my decks to accommodate. I'm leaning more heavily on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arrest" href="#" target="_blank">Arrest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-type cards that keep the creature on the board, but nerf it to a great degree. In this vein, I've included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entangling Vines" href="#" target="_blank">Entangling Vines</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the deck. Currently only seeing play in 12 decks, I expect the numbers for all of these arresting Auras to go up as more <em>War of the Spark</em> cards make it into decks.</p>
<p>Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mudslide" href="#" target="_blank">Mudslide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (145 decks) is an excellent enchantment that can really dirty up the board. Using our untap engines like <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> or vigilance granters like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="End-Raze Forerunners" href="#" target="_blank">End-Raze Forerunners</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mudslide" href="#" target="_blank">Mudslide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> shouldn't be a problem for our side of the field. Given all the excess tapping going on, it should be quite the pain for everyone else. It's a very unique card for its color, and I think it has a lot of use in decks like <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> where pillowfort is valued highly.</p>
<p>How about we look at this deck, eh?</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Radha Tapdance" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div></p>
<p>[Commander]<br />
*1 Grand Warlord Radha<br />
[/Commander]</p>
<p>[Creatures]<br />
*1 Copperhorn Scout<br />
*1 Grenzo, Havoc Raiser<br />
*1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin<br />
*1 Shrieking Mogg<br />
*1 Goblin Medics<br />
*1 Oak Street Innkeeper<br />
*1 Satyr Nyx-Smith<br />
*1 Spireside Infiltrator<br />
*1 Centaur Omenreader<br />
*1 Champion of Rhonas<br />
*1 Elvish Piper<br />
*1 Felhide Spiritbinder<br />
*1 Krenko, Mob Boss<br />
*1 Pheres-Band Tromper<br />
*1 Timbermare<br />
*1 Ilharg, the Raze-Boar<br />
*1 Seedborn Muse<br />
*1 Torchling<br />
*1 Urabrask the Hidden<br />
*1 Great Oak Guardian<br />
*1 Pheres-Band Raiders<br />
*1 Rustmouth Ogre<br />
*1 Thundermare<br />
*1 Hateflayer<br />
*1 End-Raze Forerunners<br />
[/Creatures]</p>
<p>[Instants]<br />
*1 Vitalize<br />
*1 Benefactor's Draught<br />
*1 Tangle<br />
*1 Beast Within<br />
*1 Chord of Calling<br />
*1 Fissure<br />
[/Instants]</p>
<p>[Sorceries]<br />
*1 Mobilize<br />
*1 Winter Blast<br />
*1 Cultivate<br />
*1 Harvest Season<br />
*1 Deadshot<br />
*1 Decimate<br />
*1 Explosive Vegetation<br />
*1 Burn at the Stake<br />
*1 Twist Allegiance<br />
*1 Insurrection<br />
[/Sorceries]</p>
<p>[Artifacts]<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Springleaf Drum<br />
*1 Gruul Signet<br />
*1 Atarka Monument<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Umbral Mantle<br />
*1 Paradox Engine<br />
[/Artifacts]</p>
<p>[Enchantments]<br />
*1 Instill Energy<br />
*1 Onslaught<br />
*1 Curse of Bounty<br />
*1 Quest for Renewal<br />
*1 Smoke<br />
*1 Aggravated Assault<br />
*1 Mudslide<br />
*1 Breath of Fury<br />
*1 Entangling Vines<br />
*1 Magmatic Core<br />
*1 Blockbuster<br />
[/Enchantments]</p>
<p>[Lands]<br />
*1 Cinder Glade<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Copperline Gorge<br />
*13 Forest<br />
*1 Gruul Turf<br />
*1 Holdout Settlement<br />
*1 Karplusan Forest<br />
*1 Kessig Wolf Run<br />
*1 Mosswort Bridge<br />
*13 Mountain<br />
*1 Rootbound Crag<br />
*1 Spinerock Knoll<br />
*1 Spire Garden<br />
*1 Stomping Ground<br />
*1 Survivors' Encampment<br />
*1 Wooded Foothills<br />
[/Lands]</p>
<p>[/Deck]</p>

<hr />
<h2>All Tapped Out</h2>
<p>Well that's it from me on this edition of <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>. I'll see you all in the comments section to take in your questions, comments, and snide remarks. Maybe you want to ask me why I'd waste <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a non-combo deck. Or maybe we can debate about the awesomeness of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magmatic Core" href="#" target="_blank">Magmatic Core</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Or, perchance, you'd like to make a hyper-underplayed suggestion for a future article. Whatever you'd like to talk about, I'll see you on there. Until next time, keep on tappin'!</p>


Forgotten Harvest - Tapdancing Radha

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulrich of the Krallenhorde" href="#" target="_blank">Ulrich of the Krallenhorde</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/maniaks">Slawomir Maniak</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p><span id="m_7985745279735501680gmail-docs-internal-guid-971aaafd-7fff-35c2-bef7-2bbb00875c9e">Hello, EDHREC! 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 play 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.</span></p>
<p>In this article we're going to talk about the scruffy lord himself: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulrich of the Krallenhorde" href="#" target="_blank">Ulrich of the Krallenhorde</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>First, let's take a quick look at his kit</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulrich of the Krallenhorde"></div></div>
<p><strong>Whenever this creature enters the battlefield or transforms into Ulrich of the Krallenhorde, target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.</strong></p>
<p><strong>At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Ulrich of the Krallenhorde.</strong></p>
<p><strong>(Flip side)</strong></p>
<p><strong>Whenever this creature transforms into Ulrich, Uncontested Alpha, you may have it fight target non-Werewolf creature you don't control.</strong></p>
<p><strong>At the beginning of each upkeep, if two or more spells were cast last turn, transform Ulrich, Uncontested Alpha.</strong></p>
<p>Observation 1:</p>
<p>Ulrich is very similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huntmaster of the Fells" href="#" target="_blank">Huntmaster of the Fells</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the sense that they both encourage their controller to keep transforming them back and forth.</p>
<p>Observation 2:</p>
<p>A player casting no spells in a turn is quite rare in EDH. To make things worse, the payoffs are unreliable. For example, unless he's transforming back to a Human on our turn, we won't be able to use the bonus P/T.</p>
<p>Observation 3:</p>
<p>Having mana sinks such as activated abilities will help avoid casting spells, which could assist us to transform Ulrich.</p>
<p>Observation 4:</p>
<p>Unlike Ulrich's Human side, transforming into his Werewolf side feels great on any turn. The fight ability is useful since it can pick off valuable utility creatures and/or clear a path for an attack.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<p>Now, let’s take a quick look at <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/ulrich-of-the-krallenhorde">Ulrich’s EDHREC page</a>:</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-34205" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Ulrich-Sig.png" alt="" width="693" height="363" /></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-34206" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Ulrich-Top.png" alt="" width="680" height="367" /></p>
<p>Werewolves everywhere! Given Ulrich's borderline vanilla feel, and that he's the only Werewolf that can be a commander, people tend to only try him out in tribal decks. However, as many deckbuilders have found, commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ruric Thar, the Unbowed" href="#" target="_blank">Ruric Thar, the Unbowed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surrak Dragonclaw" href="#" target="_blank">Surrak Dragonclaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give a better support for that tribe, since they facilitate transformations more easily.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<p>This idea was suggested to me by a reader in a previous article, so here we go:</p>
<p>As we saw before, Ulrich's payoffs are kind of unreliable, which means we need to think outside the box to make them <em>more </em>reliable. How? Well, for example, let's say we have our commander in play, and Jenny is about to start her turn. We could ask her to let us flip Ulrich so that we can fight and destroy that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zur, the Enchanter" href="#" target="_blank">Zur, the Enchanter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> over there that's trying to be sneaky.</p>
<p>Now let's say that, while Ulrich is in Werewolf form, someone casts two spells on the same turn, making him flip back to Human. The next turn isn't ours, so Ulrich's P/T bonus would be kind of wasted if we were to buff any of our creatures... but what if we try to make a deal with Timmy, whose turn is next, to give one of <em>his</em> creatures the buff, so he can attack that Zur player for more damage?</p>
<p>In both of these cases, we use the added dimension of a multiplayer game to transform (pun intended) our beatstick into a political tool.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Basilisk Collar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Repercussion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thaumatic Compass"></div></div>
<p>As mentioned before, Ulrich appreciates spending mana on activated abilities, since it allows us to use our mana without casting spells, to help him transform. Thus, a strong Equipment suite allows us to develop our board while also triggering our commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Basilisk Collar" href="#" target="_blank">Basilisk Collar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gorgon&#039;s Head" href="#" target="_blank">Gorgon&#039;s Head</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will make sure that if Ulrich fights a creature, it dies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Kaldra" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Kaldra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> not only exiles the affected creature, but also allows Ulrich to Voltron people out of the game. You won't gain any political points with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scythe of the Wretched" href="#" target="_blank">Scythe of the Wretched</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but this card lets us use some of our opponents' creatures against them.</p>
<p>Since we're trying to be a political engine, it's kind of hard to play threats, since those threats could paint a target on our back and remove our political capital. This is why we're packing some damage-doubling effects, so we can try to avoid some of the backlash while simultaneously accelerating the clock. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Bloodletting" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Bloodletting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitter Feud" href="#" target="_blank">Bitter Feud</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are efficient ways to incentivize our opponents to target each other. Other global effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Furnace of Rath" href="#" target="_blank">Furnace of Rath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can also work, but these are a little bit scarier to use since we have no control over them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Assault Suit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rite of the Raging Storm"></div></div>
<p>There are also ways to make people want to attack, though without forcing them to. Usually forcing a player to attack will invite them to just attack you, but if we're just giving our opponents the <em>option</em> to attack without <em>forcing </em>them to, that can work out a lot better in our favor. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of the Raging Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of the Raging Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives a free attack to the active player. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assault Suit" href="#" target="_blank">Assault Suit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets us lend our commander to every opponent, which helps spread commander damage across the table. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor" href="#" target="_blank">Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very fun political card, benefitting greatly from both of Ulrich's abilities and creating an interesting dynamic with Her Survivor tokens. In this deck, we should always ask permission before attacking with Varchild; explaining our thought process to the defending player can be instrumental to make sure they don't begrudge the attack, and will then go on to use those Survivor tokens to help us take out mutual enemies.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Ulrich Politics" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Ulrich of the Krallenhorde
[/Commander]
[Creature]
* Birds of Paradise
* Humble Defector
* Sakura-Tribe Elder
* Goblin Spymaster
* Magus of the Moon
* Rampaging Ferocidon
* Treasure Nabber
* Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor
* Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
* Avenger of Zendikar
* Molten Primordial
* Avatar of Slaughter
* Craterhoof Behemoth
[/Creature]
[Sorcery]
* Faithless Looting
* Wildest Dreams
* Farseek
* Hull Breach
* Mizzium Mortars
* Nature&#039;s Lore
* Rampant Growth
* Tormenting Voice
* Cultivate
* Grow From the Ashes
* Kodama&#039;s Reach
* Chain Reaction
* Disrupt Decorum
* Harmonize
* Skyshroud Claim
* Creeping Renaissance
* Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
* Tooth and Nail
* Insurrection
* Blasphemous Act
[/Sorcery]
[Enchantment]
* Curse of Opulence
* Sylvan Library
* Blood Moon
* Repercussion
* Sulfuric Vortex
* Furnace of Rath
* Stranglehold
* Bitter Feud
* Curse of Bloodletting
* Rite of the Raging Storm
* Vicious Shadows
* Sandwurm Convergence
[/Enchantment]
[Artifact]
* Basilisk Collar
*Gorgon&#039;s Head
* Relic of Progenitus
* Sol Ring
* Scythe of the Wretched
* Strionic Resonator
* Thaumatic Compass
* Crown of Doom
* Darksteel Plate
* Assault Suit
* Sword of Kaldra
* Vedalken Orrery
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
* Nature&#039;s Claim
* Heroic Intervention
* Price of Progress
* Beast Within
* Chaos Warp
[/Instant]
[Land]
*Command Tower
*Stomping Ground
*Spire Garden
*Rootbound Crag
*Karplusan Forest
*City of Brass
* Mana Confluence
* Cinder Glade
* Game Trail
* Temple of Abandon
* Sheltered Thicket
* Flamekin Village
* Hanweir Battlements
* Kessig Wolf Run
* Skarrg, the Rage Pits
* Ghost Quarter
* Tectonic Edge
*11 Forest
*9 Mountain
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>The list is running a slight lockdown subtheme. This is not stax, per se, but they help us control many types of common strategies. We have graveyard hate with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relic of Progenitus" href="#" target="_blank">Relic of Progenitus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, lifegain hate with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sulfuric Vortex" href="#" target="_blank">Sulfuric Vortex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rampaging Ferocidon" href="#" target="_blank">Rampaging Ferocidon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and more blunt pieces, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sandwurm Convergence" href="#" target="_blank">Sandwurm Convergence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which shuts down folks looking to attack our way, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Moon" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Moon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magus of the Moon" href="#" target="_blank">Magus of the Moon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will punish greedy manabases.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sandwurm Convergence"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blood Moon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Disrupt Decorum"></div></div>
<p>Given that we're running a political deck, seems only fitting to add a few <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Threaten" href="#" target="_blank">Threaten</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects. In EDH, these usually affect the whole board and are on the expensive side, but they do pack a punch. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insurrection" href="#" target="_blank">Insurrection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the go-to card, and can just end games. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disrupt Decorum" href="#" target="_blank">Disrupt Decorum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn't give us control of the creatures, but its effect is quite potent when it wreaks havoc for a full round.</p>
<p>We're not running many straight-up win conditions, but one in particular is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tooth and Nail" href="#" target="_blank">Tooth and Nail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. For our T&amp;N creature package we're running the dynamic duo, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avenger of Zendikar" href="#" target="_blank">Avenger of Zendikar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but we're also running a spicier one in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avatar of Slaughter" href="#" target="_blank">Avatar of Slaughter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Molten Primordial" href="#" target="_blank">Molten Primordial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Depending on context, you could really do a lot of damage with these big creatures.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Methodology</h3>
<p>Getting started with political decks can be really difficult, since political play isn't a skill we learn in other formats. I would recommend trying the list with people that you feel comfortable playing with, so the process of making deals is a little bit easier to understand. I'd advise against multi-turn deals, as they can become frustrating for the other players and might backfire very quickly. Try small "X-for-Y" trades instead, which make the game run smoother and will avoid feelbads.</p>
<p>For our opening hand, we need a way to get ahead in mana to start developing our board. This is really important because we can't make deals if we don't have anything meaningful to offer. Playing lock effects and damage doublers is a bit of a gambit and I'd recommend, unless given a strong reason, not doing so.</p>
<p>For the mid game, we want to play out political tools, which includes our commander, one of our most repeatable political offerings. We should also try to incentivize our opponents to hit each other, be it with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of the Raging Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of the Raging Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or simply by making deals. As we play more and more pieces, the number of deals we can make can increase - just make sure you read the room and don't make folks uncomfortable by doing so.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tooth and Nail"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sandwurm Convergence"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vicious Shadows"></div></div>
<p>By the late game, when our opponent's resources start to crumble, we should make the infamous face-to-heel transition and start going aggro. Good pacing throughout the game is important for this transition; with the bloodbath that we've enabled, many of our threats are finally online in this stage of the game, and we only need that one big punch to open wide the game.</p>
<p>One mistake I often see when playing against political decks is that the pilot tends to think that they're everyone's friend. This cannot be further from the truth - we're not trying to make friends, we're using them to get what we want. Every deal we make has to put us slowly ahead, and every "gift" we give comes with many strings attached. We, as the politics deck, need to always remember that we're playing to win. Giving out things without a plan will just result in a kingmaker scenario, which will lose us the game while also feeling pretty bad for the other players. However, giving things out when we <em>do </em>have a plan will turn our opponents into our chess pieces.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Epic Results</h3>
<p>If you'd like to tune up this deck, there are tons of other potential inclusions to facilitate interesting gameplay. <em>Monarch </em>cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyline Despot" href="#" target="_blank">Skyline Despot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throne of the High City" href="#" target="_blank">Throne of the High City</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, introduce a great new dynamic to the board. We could even add effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bedlam" href="#" target="_blank">Bedlam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to the mix so that it's easier to finish the game up. We might take some extra damage because of that, but if we're playing our politics correctly, we should be able to get around the aggro. Finally, you could amp up the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tooth and Nail" href="#" target="_blank">Tooth and Nail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> package with a combo like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</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? Was Ulrich a good boi? Do you have any questions about the list? Which cards did you like? Which didn’t you? Was the <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


gruul