Deathtouch and First Strike With Syr Vondam, the Lucent

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Grand Unifier" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Grand Unifier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>/ By <a href="https://martanael.com/">Marta Nael)</a></h6>
<h1>Blink, and You'll Miss It</h1>
<p>Commander players can be greedy.</p>
<p>Case in point, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Grand Unifier" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Grand Unifier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Grand Unifier"></div></div>
<p>Whenever she enters the battlefield, she lets you look at the top 10 cards of your library and up to 8 of those cards go to hand. Digging that deep and picking specific cards is tremendously powerful. This is a game-ending amount of value.</p>
<p>However, players want to do this every turn. Multiple times a turn; filling your hand with more cards than you can possibly cast. Atraxa, Grand Unifier, in my mind, is the premier “winmore.deck”</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/blink">Blink</a> strategies are the most popular build path for this <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Grand Unifier" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/search/?q=blink">Blink</a> is shorthand for any effect that exiles a permanent and then returns it to the battlefield. This lets players get ETB, enter the battlefield, triggers multiple times instead of once.</p>
<p>These decks have no problem controlling a board or accruing an incredible amount of resources. The problem these decks face is turning that into victory.</p>
<p>The strategy I'm about to outline is just as "win more" as any other Atraxa brew. Like her <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">original iteration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, even less optimized decks will still be powerful. This strategy creates an unstoppable, impenetrable board state. Atraxa won't be in and out gathering supplies. She's going to lead the invasion firsthand.</p>
<h2>The Other Abilities</h2>
<p>Atraxa's unique combination of <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/keywords">keywords</a> make combat a nightmare for our opponents.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raffine, Scheming Seer"></div></div>
<h3><strong>Flying</strong></h3>
<p>Atraxa has no issue finding someone to fly over. Players often don't have an answer to flyers barring an incidental instance of flying or reach. The rest only hope to draw removal.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderous Orator"></div></div>
<h3><strong>Vigilance</strong></h3>
<p>Atraxa is online at all times. Without vigilance, an offensive creature is effectively gone after the attack. After swinging a big creature, that player is left open on their opponent's turns. Atraxa gets to swing and stays open to block each other turn.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade"></div></div>
<h3><strong>Lifelink</strong></h3>
<p>Atraxa always collects. The biggest downside to big attacking creatures without trample is chump blocks. Your opponents will gladly sacrifice a Bird token to prevent losing seven. Lifelink ensures that we get value out of every single swing and block. Each swing and block grants you a substantial chunk of health back.</p>
<p>This pairs well with vigilance. Opponents will have to be careful not to increase your life from swinging into your blockers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Baleful Strix"></div></div>
<h3><strong>Deathtouch</strong></h3>
<p>Atraxa is taking her threats down with her. If you wanted to power past Atraxa you have one more thing to consider. Is swinging at the Atraxa player worth losing whatever I'm swinging with? It doesn’t matter if you're swinging with some gigantic monstrosity. Any instance of damage will be lethal.</p>
<h2>Secret Weapon</h2>
<p>Atraxa's keywords make it difficult for our opponents to approach.</p>
<p>But what if every single creature you control had those game-warping abilities?</p>
<p>Our secret commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Odric, Lunarch Marshal" href="#" target="_blank">Odric, Lunarch Marshal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does just that.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Odric, Lunarch Marshal"></div></div>
<p>This is my first secret commander deck of the series.</p>
<p>Secret commander decks are where the “Build around card” is a card in the deck not the command zone.</p>
<p>I am a fan of this strategy as it allows for deck building outside of a commander's colors, and allows for building around cards that aren’t legendary creatures.</p>
<p>Black and green have several <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> spells to pull Odric from the deck. With some luck, Atraxa's ETB trigger is pretty good at finding him herself.</p>
<p>Odric is the premier "Keywords" commander. This wall of text effectively reads:</p>
<p><strong><em>At the beginning of each combat, creatures you control gain each keyword for each keyword on a creature you control.</em></strong></p>
<p>In our case, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Grand Unifier" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the field, Odric would gain flying, vigilance, deathtouch, and lifelink at the beginning of combat. Each other creature you control gains those abilities too!</p>
<p>Some nuances:</p>
<ul>
<li>This is includes your opponent's combat steps</li>
<li>The abilities remain on each creature until end of turn</li>
<li>It covers 13 specific keywords, not all of them</li>
</ul>
<h2>Key to Victory</h2>
<p>Now for the fun part, the keywords that push <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Grand Unifier" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from powerful to unstoppable.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oketra the True"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Avenging Huntbonder"></div></div>
<h3><strong>Double Strike</strong></h3>
<p>What's better than a 7/7 body? One that hits twice! Double strike lets you deal damage on the first strike step and the regular damage step of combat. Alongside deathtouch, anything blocking Atraxa will die before it deals damage. Anything that gets blocked will face the same fate.</p>
<p>First strike will interact the same way with deathtouch except there won't be an additional instance of damage at the regular damage step.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crashing Drawbridge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hall of the Bandit Lord"></div></div>
<h3><strong>Haste</strong></h3>
<p>What's better than a 7/7 blocker entering the battlefield? One that can attack that same turn.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crashing Drawbridge" href="#" target="_blank">Crashing Drawbridge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is boots on a stick. What I mean by that ridiculous sentence is that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants haste to one creature at a time, where Crashing Drawbridge grants haste to each creature, every turn.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hall of the Bandit Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Hall of the Bandit Lord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> takes a chunk of life to use, but after your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Grand Unifier" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> swings immediately, you actually come ahead due to lifelink. Also, that haste doesn't go away from end of turn. So if you have Odric out (which is the point of the deck) your whole board has haste. I'd pay three life for that.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stonehoof Chieftain"></div></div>
<h3><strong>Trample</strong></h3>
<p>I didn't forget about trample. Only, with a whole board of flyers, trample becomes a little redundant. There's an incidental smattering of trample in the deck. It plays well with deathtouch. As we only need to assign one point of deathtouch damage to a blocker for it to be lethal. Meaning our 7/7 can assign the other six other damage to our opponent regardless of the blocker's toughness.</p>
<h2>Attacking From a Different Angle</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akroma, Angel of Wrath"></div></div>
<p>Arkoma has been long beloved for having a staggering amount of keywords. She has so many keywords she had keywords before they <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma, Angel of Wrath|lgn|1" href="#" target="_blank">existed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She's a fast, resilient threat that makes opponents think twice when engaging in any form of combat. She brings four unique keywords to our board that Atraxa doesn't provide: Haste, first strike, protection from black and red, and trample. Because this deck aims to grant every creature the same swath of keywords, this makes Akroma one of the best cards in the deck. You can discard her and get those juicy keywords in play with one of our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cairn Wanderer" href="#" target="_blank">graveyard centric</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Keyword cards.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zetalpa, Primal Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Zetalpa, Primal Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be used similarly. While not having haste, Zetalpa brings indestructible, trample, and double strike to the field. Every keyword you could want more on Atraxa, Zetalpa brings.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akroma, Vision of Ixidor"></div></div>
<p>The original <em>Commander Legends</em> product brought a phenomenal update to Akroma. She brings first strike and trample to the table, but more importantly a +1/+1 buff to each other creature for every keyword they have. This payoff is game-ending. Atraxa alone becomes an 11/11, letting her kill anyone after two swings from commander damage. If Odric is out, it's a +6/+6 to every creature you control. While unlikely, this brew is capable at maxing out at +10/+10 to each creature alongside ten bonkers keywords.</p>
<h2>Preparing For Invasion</h2>
<p>Atrxa is a magnet for removal. And for good reason. An Atraxa player left unchecked will have little issue taking over a game. That's why a chunk of our strategy is dedicated to make removing her as difficult as possible.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thryx, the Sudden Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elvish Piper"></div></div>
<p>Prevention beats a cure. A key weakness to any big spell strategy is counterspells. If a player answers our seven mana commander for two, that is a huge loss of value for us. If a player can counter Atraxa before she hits the field, they will. That's why we don't give our opponents that option.</p>
<p>I wanted to highlight <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thryx, the Sudden Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Thryx, the Sudden Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> specifically. In a deck packed with huge spells, Thryx takes away the guess work. We cast these Angels easier, unafraid of counterspells.</p>
<p><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> and other similar cards are fantastic for this deck. It lets us play or huge creatures much faster and stops opponents from using conventional counter magic to stop us.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daring Fiendbonder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bastion Protector"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Avacyn, Angel of Hope"></div></div>
<p>If you've managed to resolve Atraxa, the next step is keeping her on the battlefield. Indestructible is pretty good at that. Swinging and blocking become even easier. Most board wipes and removal spells become a fleeting gesture.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sigarda, Font of Blessings"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slippery Bogbonder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swiftfoot Boots"></div></div>
<p>Hexproof, like indestructible, is an ability we want on Atraxa at all times. Your opponents will remove her if given the opportunity. So don't give them that opportunity. If you're lucky, they'll send it somewhere else too.</p>
<p>The only way around Atraxa from this point, are specific board wipes, that exile, bounce, or reduce toughness. That's what our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swan Song" href="#" target="_blank">counter magic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is for.</p>
<p>Nothing is stopping <strong>compleat</strong> invasion.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Atraxa Keywords" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Atraxa, Grand Unifier
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
*1 Akroma, Vision of Ixidor
*1 Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice
*1 Avacyn, Angel of Hope
*1 Avenging Huntbonder
*1 Baleful Strix
*1 Bastion Protector
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Bloom Tender
*1 Cairn Wanderer
*1 Crashing Drawbridge
*1 Daring Fiendbonder
*1 Delighted Halfling
*1 Elvish Piper
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Faeburrow Elder
*1 Kathril, Aspect Warper
*1 Likeness Looter
*1 Majestic Myriarch
*1 Obsessive Stitcher
*1 Odric, Lunarch Marshal
*1 Oketra the True
*1 Raffine, Scheming Seer
*1 Rayami, First of the Fallen
*1 Scavenged Brawler
*1 Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade
*1 Shalai, Voice of Plenty
*1 Sigarda, Font of Blessings
*1 Slippery Bogbonder
*1 Stonehoof Chieftain
*1 Thryx, the Sudden Storm
*1 Thunderous Orator
*1 Toski, Bearer of Secrets
*1 Urborg Scavengers
*1 Zetalpa, Primal Dawn
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Fact or Fiction
*1 Faithful Mending
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Stroke of Midnight
*1 Swan Song
*1 Vampiric Tutor
*1 Worldly Tutor
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Black Market Connections
*1 Concerted Effort
*1 Defense of the Heart
*1 Mystic Remora
*1 Rhystic Study
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mana Crypt
*1 Monster Manual // Zoological Study
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Farseek
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Profane Tutor
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Sublime Exhalation
*1 Tooth and Nail
*1 Vanquish the Horde
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Field of Ruin
*6 Forest
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
*1 Indatha Triome
*4 Island
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*6 Plains
*1 Raffine&#039;s Tower
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*4 Swamp
*1 Zagoth Triome
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<h2>Final Words of Advice</h2>
<p>While she remains unique for her color combination, I would argue that those four keywords are what make her as iconic as a commander.</p>
<p>I feel keywords are underrated in general. Their power is demonstrated with standout cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma&#039;s Memorial" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma&#039;s Memorial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. However, the strategy itself is not particularly popular.</p>
<p>There are already blink decks, there are already proliferate decks. There are decks that love putting cards in hand. While Atraxa can pull off each of these strategies with great success, I am more interested in pulling off a strategy that no other commander has; blessing a board of creatures with a unique combination of keywords.</p>
<p>Each Atraxa represents the format itself in a way. Her combined <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders">popularity</a> is a testament to that. They are powerful, but allow for countless directions to brew in. This brew itself could be modified in a few different directions. In my mind, that's where much of the fun of Commander is. Pulling off ridiculous, absurdly powerful board states and interactions. Each Atraxa represents this desire perfectly.</p>
<p>I am not the first to brew Atraxa as a "Keywords" commander, and I am certain new ways to build will continue to evolve with time.</p>
<p>Thanks for exploring keywords with me! I'd love to hear how your brews are going.</p>
<p>What is your favorite way to <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/search/?q=atraxa">brew with Atraxa</a>? What are your favorite combination of keywords?</p>
<h3><strong>Read More:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/ultra-budget-brews-odric-lunarch-marshal/">Ultra Budget Brews - Odric, Lunarch Marshal</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-other-ability-pia-nalaar-consul-of-madness/">The Other Ability- Pia Nalar, Consul of Madness</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/deep-analysis-blink/">Deep Analysis - Blink</a></li>
</ul>


The Other Ability - Atraxa's Four Other Abilities (They're Keywords)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primordial Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Primordial Sage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CJustin+Sweet%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Justin Sweet</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>Before the histories, before the songs, there was the genesis of a sort of protoculture. A collective of wanderers, working together to find meaning, pattern, and purpose. In this semiotic genesis, there were countless groups - families, really - that simply died out, lost to the grindstones of time and nature. Others bested the odds, and their lines continued, but always surviving into the future in unrecognizable form. The very earliest could not even be said to be progenitors of the blood, since no one, not even the very oldest, can remember them.</p>
<p>Welcome to <em>Dual Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck. This time, it's a keyword soup deck atop a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/sacrifice">sacrifice</a> deck, led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rayami, First of the Fallen" href="#" target="_blank">Rayami, First of the Fallen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rayami, First of the Fallen"></div></div>
<p>Since there are no stone tablets, no monolithic records, no cave paintings, scraps of vellum, or familial tapestries, there is no bridge to the past beyond conjecture. But perhaps the best primary source is a survivor. Despite the incalculable tract of time between the present and the first stirrings of Ulamog in Akoum, there are Bloodchiefs who endured more than just their transformation - they endured the passage of the millennia. But there is an irony in agelessness, for even the greatest sires of vampirism on Zendikar are slaves to memory.</p>
<p>There may be no clear memory of the past, but there are some cards that can bridge the thematic gap. Without getting too far out into the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8772262/">Midsommar</a> weeds here, let's take a look:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rayami, the First Sacrifice" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rayami, First of the Fallen
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Archdemon of Unx
*1 Balustrade Spy
*1 Banehound
*1 Brazen Borrower
*1 Contraband Kingpin
*1 Demon of Catastrophes
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Eyeless Watcher
*1 Faerie Seer
*1 Fathom Feeder
*1 Fleetfeather Cockatrice
*1 Geode Golem
*1 Gifted Aetherborn
*1 Horizon Chimera
*1 Korozda Guildmage
*1 Lazotep Reaver
*1 Leyline Prowler
*1 Llanowar Dead
*1 Loyal Drake
*1 Maraleaf Pixie
*1 Nightveil Predator
*1 Ochran Assassin
*1 Ornithopter
*1 Poison-Tip Archer
*1 River Hoopoe
*1 Runaway Carriage
*1 Sagu Mauler
*1 Silhana Ledgewalker
*1 Silver Myr
*1 Siren Lookout
*1 Skylasher
*1 Tajuru Pathwarden
*1 Thornweald Archer
*1 Torrent Elemental
*1 Troll Ascetic
*1 Warteye Witch
*1 Woodlot Crawler
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Dark Bargain
*1 Glint
*1 Golgari Charm
*1 Grave Birthing
*1 Growth Spiral
*1 Mystic Genesis
*1 Shred Memory
*1 Simic Charm
*1 Sultai Charm
*1 Tribute to the Wild
*1 Withering Boon
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Absorb Vis
*1 Incubation // Incongruity
*1 Pilfered Plans
*1 Spark Harvest
*1 Sylvan Scrying
*1 Urban Evolution
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Smuggler&#039;s Copter
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Dominance
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Evolutionary Leap
*1 Golgari Germination
*1 Perilous Forays
*1 Vampiric Rites
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darkslick Shores
*1 Evolving Wilds
*5 Forest
*1 Golgari Rot Farm
*1 Grim Backwoods
*1 Guildmages&#039; Forum
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*5 Island
*1 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
*1 Opulent Palace
*1 River of Tears
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Simic Guildgate
*1 Slippery Karst
*5 Swamp
*1 Temple of Deceit
*1 Thornwood Falls
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 Underground River
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Interpreting the Past</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Poison-Tip Archer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warteye Witch"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Torrent Elemental"></div></div>
<p>With Rayami on the battlefield, death means getting etched into indelible memory. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torrent Elemental" href="#" target="_blank">Torrent Elemental</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> offers some nice, clean synergy, but scratching a bit beyond the surface shows that since we need our creatures to die, some simple payoffs for that seem like a good idea. However, it gets tricky: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Poison-Tip Archer" href="#" target="_blank">Poison-Tip Archer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides a death trigger for our creatures (and everyone else's creatures, incidentally), but Rayami will steal those deaths, saving them for the soup instead. It's still a worthwhile inclusion, as it flavors the soup with deathtouch and reach. Just be aware of these replacement effects.</p>
<p>In a similar vein, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demon of Catastrophes" href="#" target="_blank">Demon of Catastrophes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archdemon of Unx" href="#" target="_blank">Archdemon of Unx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can eventually provide keywords to Rayami, but would sooner sacrifice something else, offering that creature's keywords to the soup. Ultimately, much of the bridge-building is performed by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Poison-Tip Archer" href="#" target="_blank">Poison-Tip Archer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Imagine this sequence: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Korozda Guildmage" href="#" target="_blank">Korozda Guildmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golgari Germination" href="#" target="_blank">Golgari Germination</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to provide the fodder, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golgari Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Golgari Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to inflict a substantial loss of life.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Korozda Guildmage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golgari Germination"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golgari Charm"></div></div>
<p>But let's take a look at more likely scenarios - each chunk of the deck as they might play out. Firstly, we have our creatures that, should they be sacrificed for the cause, or die some other way, feed Rayami. Though, as willing as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Runaway Carriage" href="#" target="_blank">Runaway Carriage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is to die for the cause, it's odd to imagine how the First to Fall assimilates its abilities. Maybe, in his primitive perspective, he saw how the carriage wheeled about and crushed its pedestrian obstacles. Then perhaps the proto-Vampire thought to himself, "Oh, that's how you do it."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Woodlot Crawler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skylasher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Runaway Carriage"></div></div>
<p>A fun direction to take this deck, given the theme of creatures to include for Rayami's sake, is Mutate. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nightveil Predator" href="#" target="_blank">Nightveil Predator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Banehound" href="#" target="_blank">Banehound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ochran Assassin" href="#" target="_blank">Ochran Assassin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> make solid targets for that strategy. It is, of course, challenging to make room for it, given the other moving parts we want to include. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolutionary Leap" href="#" target="_blank">Evolutionary Leap</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Perilous Forays" href="#" target="_blank">Perilous Forays</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampiric Rites" href="#" target="_blank">Vampiric Rites</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provide a bulk of our succor for sacrifice. These tools do force us to make decisions about when to keep a creature in play, as a defensive piece or as a threat, and when to draw or when to ramp. It can be difficult to read the table and to discern when or if to make those choices, but that's part of what makes this brew entertaining.</p>
<hr />
<h1>Conclusion</h1>
<p>But the thread to the past is rather indelicate, so protecting our plan with things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Withering Boon" href="#" target="_blank">Withering Boon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Genesis" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Genesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glint" href="#" target="_blank">Glint</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be essential. And since our primitivist sensibilities are easily offended, disrupting the trappings of modernity as peacocked by our opponents is also a good idea. To that end, employ age-old methods like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Birthing" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Birthing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tribute to the Wild" href="#" target="_blank">Tribute to the Wild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shred Memory" href="#" target="_blank">Shred Memory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grave Birthing"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tribute to the Wild"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shred Memory"></div></div>
<p>The erosion of time may have softened the narrative into illegibility, but there's still something resembling a story here. There always is - for everything - no matter how much has elapsed, or what's been forgotten.</p>
<p>That's all for this installment of <em>Dual Shot</em>. Be sure to send us your keyword soup recipes! How have you fared with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rayami, First of the Fallen" href="#" target="_blank">Rayami, First of the Fallen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Or do you prefer <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Odric, Lunarch Marshal" href="#" target="_blank">Odric, Lunarch Marshal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kathril, Aspect Warper" href="#" target="_blank">Kathril, Aspect Warper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Or perhaps paprika? Well, until next time!</p>


keyword soup

Deathtouch and First Strike With Syr Vondam, the Lucent

The Other Ability - Atraxa's Four Other Abilities (They're Keywords)

Dual Shot - Primordia

Dual Shot - There Can Only Be One

Replacement Commanders - I Vant to Suck Your Blood!

Heart of the Cards – Samut, Voice of Dissent