<p style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farmer Cotton" href="#" target="_blank">Farmer Cotton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/dusint">Tomas Duchek</a></span></i></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was recently Hobbit Day, in reference to the shared birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, of Tolkien fame. As we enter the harvest season of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, it seemed fitting to celebrate the creature type that resulted from the Tolkien crossover, all about making and eating Food!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For those who are unaware of Jewish holidays, it was recently also Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year. Like many Jewish holidays, it centers around Foods, especially apples and honey, the former of which is just beginning to enter its harvesting season.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But Food, in <em>Magic</em>, is largely built around life gain, and those strategies tend to durdle a lot, so how do we make these gatherings fun while being respectful of everyone's time? And are we talking about the game or the family gathering?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In either, the key is to find common ground within the family. Quite a lot of our creatures are legendary and share surnames along with complementary abilities. The patriarch of the family is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farmer Cotton" href="#" target="_blank">Farmer Cotton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the centerpiece of today's commander deck.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Farmer Cotton"></div></div>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farmer Cotton" href="#" target="_blank">Farmer Cotton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Do?</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Farmer Cotton makes Food and makes Halflings. For a deck that wants both Food and Halflings, that's pretty perfect. In fact, he makes as many Food and Halflings as we can put mana into him, getting better and better as the game goes on.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">X spells are really, really powerful, so it's unusual to find a commander with X in its cost. X and asterisks represent limitless values, so they immediately catch my attention as curve-toppers and combo exhaust. In a deck filled with legendary Halflings, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farmer Cotton" href="#" target="_blank">Farmer Cotton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stands out as one that does everything we need whenever we need it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So what are the tokens he makes? Farmer Cotton makes 1/1 Halflings and Food tokens. The Halflings are tiny creatures, while the Foods can tap and sacrifice themselves, along with a two-mana investment, to gain three life.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The key to complementing Farmer Cotton is to find ways to get the Food tokens to work with the small creatures to create a threatening board presence while gaining enough life to win close races.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farmer Cotton" href="#" target="_blank">Farmer Cotton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While making a bunch of 1/1s and Food tokens is cool, neither of those things win the game by themselves. The Halfling tokens get outclassed easily, and the Food tokens provide a life buffer to win races, but we're not winning many races with 1/1s. So how do we turn these pieces into a gameplan?</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archangel of Thune"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nykthos Paragon"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Life gain payoffs are a solid way of making the life gained from the Food tokens into win cons, but we're likely not getting to 50 for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. What we can do is use effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archangel of Thune" href="#" target="_blank">Archangel of Thune</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nykthos Paragon" href="#" target="_blank">Nykthos Paragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to put layers of counters on our Halflings and 1/1s, making it so that our two main pieces work together!</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jaheira, Friend of the Forest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Cabbage Merchant"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since our commander is a mana sink, we want ways to make lots of mana to pour into his cost. In addition to some green staples, we can run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jaheira, Friend of the Forest" href="#" target="_blank">Jaheira, Friend of the Forest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Cabbage Merchant" href="#" target="_blank">The Cabbage Merchant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make our tokens make mana. These cards enable the deck to be flexible with its mana and to use the relatively weak stats of our commander to let us chump block with him and re-cast him for a larger value.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heliod&#039;s Intervention"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nature&#039;s Claim"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swords to Plowshares"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every once in a while, a problem permanent comes along that has to be dealt with. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sunspine Lynx" href="#" target="_blank">Sunspine Lynx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and related effects jump out as particularly dangerous, as gaining life is integral to our gameplan. If a card can gain life, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod&#039;s Intervention" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod&#039;s Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature&#039;s Claim" href="#" target="_blank">Nature&#039;s Claim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swords to Plowshares" href="#" target="_blank">Swords to Plowshares</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we can use it to grant us extra triggers, as well.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Shire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gingerbread Cabin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inventors&#039; Fair"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our nonbasic lands mostly relate to Halflings and Food tokens. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Shire" href="#" target="_blank">The Shire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gingerbread Cabin" href="#" target="_blank">Gingerbread Cabin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> work with Hobbits and Food, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inventors&#039; Fair" href="#" target="_blank">Inventors&#039; Fair</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gains life and can find a powerful piece in a pinch.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farmer Cotton" href="#" target="_blank">Farmer Cotton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commander Deck Win?</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our primary aim is to flood the field with Halflings and Food, then use the life gained to put layers of counters on those small creatures to present a large board and flex the high life total to attack with impunity.</span></p>
<h2><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farmer Cotton" href="#" target="_blank">Farmer Cotton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commander Decklist</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Farmer Cotton Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Farmer Cotton
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Academy Manufactor
*1 Ajani&#039;s Pridemate
*1 Archangel of Thune
*1 Archivist of Oghma
*1 Banquet Guests
*1 Brandywine Farmer
*1 Delighted Halfling
*1 Eastfarthing Farmer
*1 Elanor Gardner
*1 Elenda&#039;s Hierophant
*1 Erinis, Gloom Stalker
*1 Essence Channeler
*1 Exemplar of Light
*1 Feasting Hobbit
*1 Frodo Baggins
*1 Frodo, Determined Hero
*1 Gilded Goose
*1 Heliod, Sun-Crowned
*1 Jaheira, Friend of the Forest
*1 Masked Vandal
*1 Meriadoc Brandybuck
*1 Merry, Warden of Isengard
*1 Metallic Mimic
*1 Nimble Hobbit
*1 Nykthos Paragon
*1 Peregrin Took
*1 Prosperous Innkeeper
*1 Realmwalker
*1 Roaming Throne
*1 Rosie Cotton of South Lane
*1 Sam, Loyal Attendant
*1 Samwise Gamgee
*1 Samwise the Stouthearted
*1 Saradoc, Master of Buckland
*1 Shire Shirriff
*1 The Cabbage Merchant
*1 The Gaffer
*1 Tireless Provisioner
*1 Took Reaper
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Cleric Class
*1 Light of Promise
*1 Night of the Sweets&#039; Revenge
*1 Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Field-Tested Frying Pan
*1 Krark-Clan Ironworks
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Ajani, Strength of the Pride
[/Planeswalkers]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Harvest Season
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Disenchant
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Heliod&#039;s Intervention
*1 Krosan Grip
*1 Naturalize
*1 Nature&#039;s Claim
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Stroke of Midnight
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Arch of Orazca
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Command Tower
*15 Forest
*1 Gingerbread Cabin
*1 Inventors&#039; Fair
*1 Minas Tirith
*1 Path of Ancestry
*15 Plains
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 The Shire
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div></span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conclusion</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Halflings are a neat creature type to see get support in the <em>The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth</em> set, combining life gain, artifact, and token synergies to make a unique mix of cards and effects. These effects do run the danger of durdling, however, which is why it's important to have a plan for getting the different phases to work together.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how would you build Halflings? And what do you think the teased <em>The Hobbit</em> set will offer?</span></p>


Building Halfling Kindred with Farmer Cotton

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.baga.de/">Volkan Baga</a></em></p>
<p>When playing <em>Magic</em>, there are many different archetypes you can play. Some revolve around combos, others around a certain keyword. You can build a deck entirely around a certain theme or creature type, like only using Vampires with Bat and Wolf minions.</p>
<p>But that seems a bit... overdone, doesn't it? How about breathing some new life into an old corpse of a creature type.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Amalia Benavides Aguirre"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Timothar, Baron of Bats"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mathas, Fiend Seeker"></div></div>
<h2>What Is Playing “Out Of Type?”</h2>
<p>Casual <em>Magic</em> trails behind competitive <em>Magic</em>, adopting strategies and following metas, but that’s not the only way to play. Most of those other ways aren’t going to win you games, though plenty of them will be fun!</p>
<p>Playing “out of type” is exploring those oft-neglected playstyles. This won’t guarantee your victory and might even ensure your defeat. It’s certainly not intended for higher brackets or competitive play. It grants you the freedom and ability to try new combos, field new strategies, and overall scrape the bottom of the barrel.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe it’ll lead to you discovering something broken? Probably not, but you could!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blood Artist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nest of Scarabs"></div></div>
<h2>What Vampires Do Well</h2>
<p>Leeches. Bloodsuckers. According to most media, Vampires are the apex predators of the night. They range from white to black to red, each color supporting its own version of vamprisim.</p>
<p>As a result, it makes more sense to sort them by which colors they occupy, given their incredible variation of skill. If you have a problem that needs solving, Vampires can do it! This makes sense, given they’re one of the characteristic creature types of black.</p>
<h3>Mono-Black Vampires</h3>
<p>Anchored in black, Vampires are selfish creatures. Throughout the game’s history, black represented evil. The strong that prey on the weak as well as the duplicitous that deceive.</p>
<p>Most Vampires are at least partially black, where their mechanics revolve around: creatures being destroyed, dealing direct damage, drawing cards at a cost, sacrificing your permanents only to return them a turn later, and deathtouch.</p>
<p>All things typical to black, though with a fair amount of flying thrown in there.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Henrika Domnathi"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sengir Vampire"></div></div>
<h3>Mono-Red Vampires</h3>
<p>Red represents the aggressive, predatory nature of vampirism. It’s the color of blood, even.</p>
<p>They tend to have the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/madness-and-mayhem-comparing-magics-discard-mechanics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">madness keyword</a>, allowing you to cast discarded cards. They also often deal with Blood tokens, giving flexibility via card draw. And some, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ivora, Insatiable Heir" href="#" target="_blank">Ivora, Insatiable Heir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, further build off of red’s love of beating its opponents physically.</p>
<p>Then you’ll always find some haste and menace thrown in, as these are staples for the color.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Falkenrath Gorger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Markov Enforcer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stensia Masquerade"></div></div>
<h3>Mono-White Vampires</h3>
<p>White invokes the classism and nobility inherent to much of vampiric lore, particularly in the bloodlines of Innistrad, yet the majority of mono-white Vampires are from the Legion of Dusk. Mono-white daywalkers who seek the Immortal Sun?</p>
<p>Disciplined and ordered, all the same.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle" href="#" target="_blank">Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> feels like any number of other, non-vampiric white cards. In fact, replacing “Vampire” with “Human” makes him feel quite similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adeline, Resplendent Cathar" href="#" target="_blank">Adeline, Resplendent Cathar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>It’s not an exact match of course, but it just reaffirms mono-white Vampires represent yet another avenue the creature type can explore. You’ll give up the destructive power of black and the aggression of red, but keep the lifegain, flying, and +1/+1 counters of white.</p>
<p>Not to mention token generation.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Paladin of Atonement"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forerunner of the Legion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bishop of Rebirth"></div></div>
<p>But many Vampires are multicolored, and while the base components are already specific to each singular color, the combinations end up giving Vampires a massive variety of options.</p>
<h3>Rakdos Vampires</h3>
<p>Rakdos Vampires, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Olivia Voldaren" href="#" target="_blank">Olivia Voldaren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, take black mechanics up a notch, dealing even more destruction to your opponents at the cost of your own permanents. Then red gives you the tools to repopulate your board and hand to do it all again.</p>
<p>Flying, haste, and menace allow you to alpha strike an opponent, even one with blockers, and your numerous ways of buffing your Vampires ensures it hits hard. Rakdos Vampires are by far the most tricky of Vampires, as their utility often stems from both their physical prowess as well as their supporting abilities.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anje, Maid of Dishonor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Strefan, Maurer Progenitor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood"></div></div>
<h3>Orzhov Vampires</h3>
<p>Lifegain, lifegain, lifegain, whether via lifelink or other methods, as illustrated in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin of House Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin of House Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Orzhov Vampires love gaining life and punishing your opponents when you do. However, they often provide stacking bonuses to your own creatures rather than destroying your opponents’.</p>
<p>You have numerous ways of removing threats your opponent has purely by nature of the colors you’re playing, from creature destruction to targeted exiling, but it’ll also be quite difficult to defeat you without those given your ability to create threats while sustaining your life total.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Edgar, Charmed Groom"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elenda, the Dusk Rose"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Astarion, the Decadent"></div></div>
<p>I would be remiss not to mention Orzhov’s consorting with Demons via cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clavileño, First of the Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Clavileño, First of the Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. You hate to see it, but you love to play it.</p>
<h3>Mardu Vampires</h3>
<p>Some Vampires, like the eminent <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are all three of the above colors. Selfishness, aggression, and nobility, all together in one legendary card. Powerhouses across the board that don’t just flirt with the different colors, but actively capitalize on all of their strengths.</p>
<p>Creature removal. Token generation. Lifegain. Damage. Making your board stronger.</p>
<p>Mardu Vampires do it all.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Licia, Sanguine Tribune"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Queen Marchesa"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Olivia, Opulent Outlaw"></div></div>
<p>But if you’re tired of the same-old Vampires, you have more options than you might realize.</p>
<h2>What if You Abandoned Classic Vampire Colors?</h2>
<p>It just so happens that there are a small number of Vampires that are multicolored with either blue or green. These two colors have very few Vampires at all, and neither have any monocolored.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghalta and Mavren"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anowon, the Ruin Thief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evelyn, the Covetous"></div></div>
<p>Take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evelyn, the Covetous" href="#" target="_blank">Evelyn, the Covetous</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as an example. In Grixis colors, she not only exiles cards from your opponents’ libraries, but also grants access to blue. This is scrying, card draw, and counters to support building up a Vampiric force. Taking control of an opponent’s creature only to use it for your own ends. It even grants access to quite a bit of milling.</p>
<p>If you were really so inclined, you could build an entire deck around flickering Vampires onto the field and milling out your opponents. Your Vampires would provide an insular improving wall to defend you, your lifegain would keep you afloat, and you wouldn’t even need to ever enter the combat phase.</p>
<p>Assuming you could actually mill three 100-card decks, that is.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Mindskinner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ruin Crab"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fractured Sanity"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghalta and Mavren" href="#" target="_blank">Ghalta and Mavren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, meanwhile, gives access to token spam, allowing you to flood the board with Dinosaur-riding Vampires. Each color has its own way of maximizing your token generation. Then if you ever have an issue with non-creature permanents, green’s ability to remove enchantments and artifacts will supplement your army of leeches.</p>
<p>Not to mention the fantastic protection and taxing options white grants.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exalted Sunborn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Parallel Lives"></div></div>
<h2>Oops, All Vampires</h2>
<p>Of course, a core component of vampirism is its spreading. Though unlike the movies, there are multiple avenues where a creature can become a Vampire. Some cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arachnoform" href="#" target="_blank">Arachnoform</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, include becoming a Vampire by being every creature type, much like creatures with changeling or Shapeshifters.</p>
<p>Though there are actually some artifacts that synergize quite nicely, either acting as Vampires or inflicting vampirism onto other creatures, which works to further divorce your deck from traditional Vampire typal, given so few of them have any special affinity for artifacts.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adaptive Automaton"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Amorphous Axe"></div></div>
<p>You have even more options if you’re still in black. Because this is the anchor color from which most Vampires originate, there are many more ways to inflict such an effect on other creatures, some of which are the traditional “vampire making a vampire” transfer of folklore.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conspiracy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Captivating Vampire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mephidross Vampire"></div></div>
<p>There are even ways to make a creature act like a Vampire without giving it the creature type. Lifelink, deathtouch, and flying are all hallmarks of the creature type. So naturally, enchantments such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mark of the Vampire" href="#" target="_blank">Mark of the Vampire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can turn even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tovolar, Dire Overlord" href="#" target="_blank">Tovolar, Dire Overlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into his most hated foe.</p>
<p>In spirit, at least.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mark of the Vampire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tovolar, Dire Overlord"></div></div>
<h2>Vampires Do It All (Nearly)</h2>
<p>A Vampire deck is almost never one I’m upset to play against. Yes, lifegain is annoying if you can’t outpace it. Tying that to ping damage is just a smack to the face on top.</p>
<p>But when you play against a Vampire deck, you’re facing off against a deck that’s flexible enough to tackle many strategies without being able to do literally anything. They’ll lean into the strengths of their colors, but have that Vampire flair to set it apart.</p>
<p>You might even get an odd reversal or two, such as if they field <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ichor Drinker" href="#" target="_blank">Ichor Drinker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with a Phyrexian subtheme. Or maybe they’ll just sic a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampire Nighthawk" href="#" target="_blank">Vampire Nighthawk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on you and constantly retrieve it from the graveyard.</p>
<p>It’s always a gamble.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ichor Drinker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vampire Nighthawk"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodsworn Squire"></div></div>
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<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant" href="#" target="_blank">Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/lasahido" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lius Lasahido</a></em></p>
<p><em>Magic: The Gathering</em> is a game that truly contains multitudes. For every color, there's some means to gain card advantage, to summon enormous creatures, to exert control over the battlefield, and so on. Such is also the case with card recursion. It may be obvious, but black is the best color to resurrect creatures on the whole. However, that won't stop <em>Magic</em>'s most iconic reviving creature, the Phoenix, from doing it the most self-sufficiently. Interestingly, <em>Final Fantasy</em>, the upcoming <em>Universes Beyond</em> set, has given us a fantastic commander to lead a bunch of Phoenixes. As such, today's deck tech features <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant" href="#" target="_blank">Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of <a href="https://na.finalfantasyxvi.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Final Fantasy XVI</em></a> fame, with a Bracket 2 Phoenix kindred theme!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant Do?</h2>
<p>On its front face, this commander from <em>Final Fantasy XVI</em> is a card advantage generator. Joshua is a white-red legendary Human Noble Wizard for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. On entry, the Phoenix's Dominant allows you to discard up to two cards and draw that many back. He also has an activated ability for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and tapping Joshua at sorcery-speed to transform him (via exile) into Phoenix, Warden of Fire.</p>
<p>Phoenix, Warden of Fire is where this commander gets <em>really</em> interesting. It's a Saga enchantment in addition to being a Phoenix creature. When each of the first two lore counters are put onto the Warden of Fire, it deals two damage to each opponent. Then, at its final lore addition, it reverts back into Joshua, but not before recurring up to six mana worth of creatures from your graveyard. When Joshua returns, his on-entry triggered ability will trigger once more. And so the cycle begins anew.</p>
<h3>Similar Commanders to Joshua</h3>
<p>As far as I can tell, only a handful of other commanders do anything remotely similar to Joshua. For one, <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> does a neat imitation, albeit stymied by being a planeswalker card rather than a creature. Most other Boros commanders are even further from doing what Joshua can do. However, some, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hofri Ghostforge" href="#" target="_blank">Hofri Ghostforge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for instance, can play the recursion game relatively well.</p>
<p>The closest we're going to get with a Boros commander to this build is Otharri, Suns' Glory, which we'll cover later on, as it <em>is</em> in this deck list. It makes for a decent Phoenix kindred commander, but Joshua very possibly has Otharri beat.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daretti, Scrap Savant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hofri Ghostforge"></div></div>
<h3>Joshua's Strategy</h3>
<p>Design-wise, Boros is a very conflicted color identity right now. The color pair wants either to innovate with recursive measures, which many players seem potentially wary of on a power-level basis, or it wants to be pure combat, which many players seem fairly tired of overall. Therefore, this deck will take hints from both ends of the Boros spectrum and add in a little extra flair.</p>
<p>This deck is a Phoenix kindred build, where we want to be attacking as often as possible with creatures that can recur themselves easily. We have the necessary means to make them cost much less than they normally would, as well as ways to buff them on the battlefield. Those who've played either with or against any kindred build know the typical gist of this.</p>
<p>Additionally, this deck boasts a sizeable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sunforger" href="#" target="_blank">Sunforger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> package, which we'll get into when discussing specific card choices. Overall, we want this deck to play well at a Bracket 2, or "Core," table.</p>
<h2>Card Choices For This Joshua Deck</h2>
<p>This is a Phoenix kindred-themed build. As such, Phoenixes are core to our gameplay strategy. There is one other major concept we need to discuss as well, but let's start with the firebirds in question:</p>
<h3>Phoenixes - <em>Magic</em>'s "Kenny McCormick"</h3>
<p>Some Phoenixes I want to bring into this discussion are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyfire Phoenix" href="#" target="_blank">Skyfire Phoenix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everquill Phoenix" href="#" target="_blank">Everquill Phoenix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory" href="#" target="_blank">Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. They all have certain nuances about them and make for excellent cards to add to the deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skyfire Phoenix"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Everquill Phoenix"></div></div>
<p>Skyfire Phoenix is a great card to simply discard as soon as Joshua hits the battlefield. Unfortunately, it won't trigger off of Joshua's entry trigger. But whenever you cast Joshua during later plays, you can recur this Phoenix, giving you an additional flying, hasty body to smash into things.</p>
<p>Everquill Phoenix, like Joshua, is an excellent support card. When you get a chance to mutate it onto another creature, you'll be able to create a Feather token. You can sacrifice a Feather token to recur a Phoenix for just one mana. This recursion doesn't just apply to Everquill Phoenix! You can bring back <em>any</em> Phoenix from your graveyard with a Feather. In this way, Everquill is a fantastic choice to bring something back with a minimal amount of effort.</p>
<p>Otharri, Suns' Glory probably boasts the superlative for "most likely to be converted into a Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant deck." At the time of writing, Otharri and Joshua are probably the only real Boros Phoenix kindred commanders to hold any weight in the conversation. However, Otharri can only bring itself back, whereas Joshua can bring back any creature you want.</p>
<p>The commonality between these cards is their durability, tenacity, and ability to just resurrect for little effort. They are the "Kenny McCormick" (of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc2jdgA3f9Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>South Park</em></a> fame) of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>, and I mean that in the most endearing way possible.</p>
<h3>Sunforger Package</h3>
<p>Now, let's look at some cards that form a strong <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sunforger" href="#" target="_blank">Sunforger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> package. Sunforger often needs a ton of build-around to make it work optimally. You can only cast instants with a mana value of four or less with the card, so we've added in a whopping <em>sixteen</em> cards that fit the bill in here.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sunforger"></div></div>
<p>Sunforger counts towards our Bracket 2 limit of three tutors. The other two, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steelshaper&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Steelshaper&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Open the Armory" href="#" target="_blank">Open the Armory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are in this deck almost exclusively to tutor up Sunforger itself. Efficiency is key, especially in a lower bracket.</p>
<p>Some of the stronger instants to cast with Sunforger are:</p>
<ul>
<li><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>: This is an extremely versatile combat trick. You can safely use it to protect your creatures in all manner of ways. Alternatively, it can provide your creatures with additional offensive capabilities.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Master Warcraft" href="#" target="_blank">Master Warcraft</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Another combat trick in Boros, Master Warcraft is one of my favorite combat manipulation spells. Being able to force players to attack and/or block how you wish them to can turn the tides of entire games very quickly. Sadly, on another player's turn, you can't choose how creatures attack. However, you can manipulate the flow of battle with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Island Sanctuary" href="#" target="_blank">Island Sanctuary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for an easier time on an opposing player's turn.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Sometimes your Phoenixes can't withstand a board wipe without a ton of necessary rebuilding afterwards. A strictly defensive option, Clever Concealment allows you to protect your creatures from so much removal in this game. Being able to skirt around mass-exile effects, or even board wipes that remove defenses like indestructible, can be massive. To that end, it's a fantastic card to cast via Sunforger.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akroma&#039;s Will"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Master Warcraft"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clever Concealment"></div></div>
<p>Now that we've discussed the cards that should further our game plan, let's talk about how Joshua plans to win!</p>
<h2>Winning With Joshua</h2>
<p>The plan is remarkably simple for any Bracket over 2. This is a Bracket 2 deck, though, so let's keep this in mind as we discuss our plan for victory. Put plainly, we want to use this deck to overrun our opponents with an army of giant, flying, flaming birds. We want to protect them whenever we need to, but we also want to swing for the fences with reckless abandon. If one Phoenix falls, there is a means to bring it back safely. If many Phoenixes could fall, you have the methods to prevent that occurrence. Eventually, you'll be remarkably ahead on damage output, while your opponents will have exhausted their many resources trying to quell the firestorm.</p>
<h2>Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant // Phoenix, Warden of Fire
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Adaptive Automaton
*1 Arclight Phoenix
*1 Brass Herald
*1 Codsworth, Handy Helper
*1 Detective&#039;s Phoenix
*1 Everquill Phoenix
*1 Flame-Wreathed Phoenix
*1 Flamewake Phoenix
*1 Glory
*1 Kuldotha Phoenix
*1 Lightning Phoenix
*1 Magma Phoenix
*1 Magus of the Moat
*1 Metallic Mimic
*1 Nemesis Phoenix
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory
*1 Phoenix of Ash
*1 Pinnacle Monk // Mystic Peak
*1 Rekindling Phoenix
*1 Roaming Throne
*1 Skyfire Phoenix
*1 Summon: Esper Valigarmanda
*1 Weathered Wayfarer
*1 Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 And They Shall Know No Fear
*1 Angel&#039;s Grace
*1 Boros Charm
*1 Clever Concealment
*1 Cloud&#039;s Limit Break
*1 Comeuppance
*1 Deflecting Palm
*1 Final Showdown
*1 Flawless Maneuver
*1 Master Warcraft
*1 Olórin&#039;s Searing Light
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Silence
*1 Stroke of Midnight
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Banner of Kinship
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Isochron Scepter
*1 Lavaspur Boots
*1 Patchwork Banner
*1 Phoenix Down
*1 Power Conduit
*1 Progenitor&#039;s Icon
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sunforger
*1 Sunglasses of Urza
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Urza&#039;s Incubator
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Island Sanctuary
*1 Molten Echoes
*1 Reconnaissance
*1 Shared Animosity
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Open the Armory
*1 Steelshaper&#039;s Gift
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Arena of Glory
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Command Tower
*1 Elegant Parlor
*1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
*1 Evolving Wilds
*8 Mountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Needleverge Pathway // Pillarverge Pathway
*10 Plains
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Three Tree City
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>When this commander got previewed, I was floored. I knew nothing about <em>Final Fantasy XVI</em>, but I knew there was a Joshua somewhere in the series canon. Joshua, being a Phoenix summoner, was kind of a big deal to me for very personal reasons. So, I decided that, for this deck tech of a character who shared my name, I'd lean into it in just as big a way.</p>
<p>If you're a fan of atypical kindred decks that you'd seldom see on a battlefield, this is a deck for you. Likewise, if you like the idea of a recursion strategy but can't fathom playing black, this deck is also a great potential fit. It's not the most powerful deck at your local game store's Commander night, to be frank, but it may be the most fun Bracket 2 deck you'll see there.</p>


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