Counters and Lifegain With Leonardo, Cutting Edge in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers" href="#" target="_blank">Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/nezt">Néstor Ossandón Leal</a></em></p>
<p>The unexpected wave of <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-mtg-commander-deck-techs"><em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em></a> spoilers that dropped after the little mishap with some <em>Lorwyn Eclipsed</em> prerelease kits has hit, and there are a lot of legends to look at! As usual, there are a handful of cool blue cards that have caught my eye, and I'll be taking my shot at one of them here. In this deck tech, I'm going to tackle <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers" href="#" target="_blank">Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and hopefully build a really sweet blink deck!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers Do?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conjurer&#039;s Closet"></div></div>
<p>Don and Leo, Problem Solvers is a five-mana 4/6 <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/azorius">Azorius</a> (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) commander with vigilance. The real money is in this commander's only ability: at the begging of its controller's end step, Don &amp; Leo exile and return up to one artifact and up to one creature. This Turtle duo is basically two <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conjurer&#039;s Closet" href="#" target="_blank">Conjurer&#039;s Closet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yorion, Sky Nomad"></div></div>
<p>This commander very closely resembles one of my all-time favorites, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yorion, Sky Nomad" href="#" target="_blank">Yorion, Sky Nomad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Blinking two permanents instead of potentially my entire board is a little weaker, but Don &amp; Leo make up for it by not requiring any maintenance to keep the engine running turn to turn. Where a Yorion deck is compelled to play blink spells, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ephemerate" href="#" target="_blank">Ephemerate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudshift" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudshift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to keep the blink train moving, Don &amp; Leo simply work every turn without having to provide any additional input.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers" href="#" target="_blank">Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<h3>The Artifacts</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cryogen Relic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Circuit Mender"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clay-Fired Bricks"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cryogen Relic" href="#" target="_blank">Cryogen Relic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is far and away the best artifact in this deck. It comes down, draws a card, gets blinked and draws one more on the way out, and then it draws one more when it comes back. Casting this artifact with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers" href="#" target="_blank">Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play is essentially an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Recall" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The other artifacts I've included follow a similar pattern: cheap and easy to generate a ton of extra cards off of over the course of a long game.</p>
<h3>The Creatures</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Agent of Treachery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anticausal Vestige"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Riptide Gearhulk"></div></div>
<p>The most powerful enters triggers in this deck have been reserved for the creatures. At the lower end of the mana curve, cheap creatures with enters triggers that draw a card or find a land are perfectly fine. At the higher end, this deck's most explosive plays are waiting for the turn where I hit five, six, or seven mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agent of Treachery" href="#" target="_blank">Agent of Treachery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is among the most oppressive, coming down and stealing the most powerful permanent on the board. Then, it'll get blinked, hopefully multiple times, before the end of the turn.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anticausal Vestige" href="#" target="_blank">Anticausal Vestige</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a sweet warp creature that, in the later stages of the game, can cheat in a couple high-cost permanents. Notably, both Anticausal Vestige and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quantum Riddler" href="#" target="_blank">Quantum Riddler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be blinked to avoid being exiled by warp at end of turn. Simply stack the beginning of end step triggers such that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers" href="#" target="_blank">Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>' triggered ability resolves first.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Riptide Gearhulk" href="#" target="_blank">Riptide Gearhulk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the most potent piece of removal in the deck. It comes down, tucks three nonland permanents into their owners' decks. When being blinked repeatedly, this Construct can generate insurmountable card advantage very quickly. While not fantastic against opposing creatures with their own powerful enters triggers, stacking all of the opponents' best cards onto the top of their library will very quickly render their decks inert as it gets more and more difficult for them to draw answers to the game state through being forced to redraw cards they've already played.</p>
<h3>Amplification</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola Rhul"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Preston, the Vanisher"></div></div>
<p>I like to think of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers" href="#" target="_blank">Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a value piñata that I get to beat removal and card draw out of. Amplifiers are cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola Rhul" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola Rhul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: they take whatever "the thing" a deck is doing and helps the deck do it even harder. In this case, Y'shtola provides an extra blink and an extra end step to get even more value from every turn.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Preston, the Vanisher" href="#" target="_blank">Preston, the Vanisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes copies of creatures as they get blinked. This is nearly functionally identical to a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Panharmonicon" href="#" target="_blank">Panharmonicon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but Preston comes with a little removal engine built in. Plus, all those tokens make for great blockers!</p>
<h2>How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers" href="#" target="_blank">Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Deck Win the Game?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moonshaker Cavalry"></div></div>
<p>When looking to win through combat, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonshaker Cavalry" href="#" target="_blank">Moonshaker Cavalry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> serves as a white <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>. It isn't mana-efficient, and it isn't my preferred method to end a game, but Moonshaker Cavalry's presence in the deck offers a source of inevitability, something that's very important in these slow value-based decks.</p>
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Altar of the Brood" href="#" target="_blank">Altar of the Brood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>
<p>With the number of flicker effects in this deck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Altar of the Brood" href="#" target="_blank">Altar of the Brood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an additional source of inevitability. This is a win condition that I initially underestimated, as the mill can really add up in long games where <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eerie Interlude" href="#" target="_blank">Eerie Interlude</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archaeomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Archaeomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> loops get involved.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Simulacrum Synthesizer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza, Lord High Artificer"></div></div>
<p>Making a bunch of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Construct" href="#" target="_blank">Construct</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Simulacrum Synthesizer" href="#" target="_blank">Simulacrum Synthesizer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord High Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord High Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is my favorite, and possibly the fastest, route to victory I've included. The Construct tokens grow really quickly, and Simulacrum Synthesizer is incredibly resilient against board wipes, making this a great way to apply a lot of pressure really quickly without fizzling out in the face of removal.</p>
<h2>Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Don and Leo" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Aether Channeler
*1 Agent of Treachery
*1 Anticausal Vestige
*1 Archaeomancer
*1 Circuit Mender
*1 Dour Port-Mage
*1 Helpful Hunter
*1 Invasion Reinforcements
*1 Loran of the Third Path
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Moonshaker Cavalry
*1 Mulldrifter
*1 Preston, the Vanisher
*1 Quantum Riddler
*1 Reflector Mage
*1 Resolute Reinforcements
*1 Riptide Gearhulk
*1 Skyclave Apparition
*1 Solitude
*1 Soulherder
*1 Spirited Companion
*1 Stonehorn Dignitary
*1 Subtlety
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Tax Collector
*1 Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
*1 Urza, Lord High Artificer
*1 Wall of Omens
*1 Watcher for Tomorrow
*1 Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow
*1 Y&#039;shtola Rhul
*1 Yorion, Sky Nomad
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Altar of the Brood
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Archaeomancer&#039;s Map
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Clay-Fired Bricks // Cosmium Kiln
*1 Coveted Jewel
*1 Cryogen Relic
*1 Ichor Wellspring
*1 Instant Ramen
*1 Lembas
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Pre-War Formalwear
*1 Prophetic Prism
*1 Simulacrum Synthesizer
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 The Mightstone and Weakstone
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Commandeer
*1 Eerie Interlude
*1 Ephemerate
*1 Flare of Fortitude
*1 Flusterstorm
*1 Misdirection
*1 Orim&#039;s Chant
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
*1 Swan Song
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Morningtide&#039;s Light
*1 Suppression Ray // Orderly Plaza
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Academy Ruins
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Agna Qel&#039;a
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Floodfarm Verge
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*7 Island
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Meticulous Archive
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Mystic Gate
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*6 Plains
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Seachrome Coast
*1 Skycloud Expanse
*1 Sunken Citadel
*1 Windswept Heath
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yorion, Sky Nomad"></div></div>
<p>This deck was a fantastic excuse to delve back into the Azorius blink decks I spent a lot of time refining when I first got into Commander. I terrorized people with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yorion, Sky Nomad" href="#" target="_blank">Yorion, Sky Nomad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in every format from Commander to Standard and Brawl. If the rules allowed, I'd go up to 120 cards in this Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers build to put Yorion in the companion zone! Alas, the rules of Commander are unfavorable for my beloved sky noodle. It's really saddening, especially now that Yorion has also been banned from Modern as well, that there are increasingly few good places for everyone's favorite Bird Serpent.</p>
<p>This deck is intended for the lower end of <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets">Bracket</a> 3 (Upgraded). While it meets all the eligibility requirements for Bracket 2 (Core), I'd be very hesitant to take a deck that can create oppressive removal engines. It'd be nearly impossible to dial back the most compelling aspects of the deck in a way that would make it Bracket-2-friendly.</p>
<p>Don &amp; Leo are the second commander from <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em> I've covered so far, with the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/michelangelo-on-the-scene-deck-tech">first one</a> being all the way back in October 2025! I'm looking forward to reading about what I missed in the comments, and I'm hoping we can all get back to reveling in the warm feelings that <em>Lorwyn Eclipsed</em> brought about for a while before Turtles season in is full swing!</p>


Blinking Artifacts in Commander With Don &#038; Leo, Problem Solvers

<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leonardo, the Balance" href="#" target="_blank">Leonardo, the Balance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.inkognit.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inkognit</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raphael, the Muscle" href="#" target="_blank">Raphael, the Muscle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.ryanpancoast.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ryan Pancoast</a></em></span></p>
<p>Welcome back to another addition of <em>Beyond the Multiverse</em>! This time, we're covering a deck tech featuring one of the partner pairings from the <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em> ("<em>TMNT"</em>) Commander precon.</p>
<p>On a personal note, I very much hope the deck is good for its hefty price tag, because there's only one, and I love having so many commander options in one precon. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. So, which pairing am I covering today? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leonardo, the Balance" href="#" target="_blank">Leonardo, the Balance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raphael, the Muscle" href="#" target="_blank">Raphael, the Muscle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>Amphibious Teamwork</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Leonardo, the Balance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raphael, the Muscle"></div></div>
<p>The main gist of the quartet of Turtles is that they fight to save New York (where have we seen this location before? Anyone? Anyone?) from Shredder and the Foot Clan, among many other villains. In the case of our pairing today, Leo's the leader of the group while Raphael is the more aggressive one.</p>
<p>Ironically, these two are often at odds with each other.</p>
<p>However, no matter which pairing we go with, Leo is at the heart of the deck's plan. We make tokens (note that he cares about <em>any</em> token entering, not just creatures), and buff our board once each turn.</p>
<p>Then, when we're ready, activate his ability and do some serious damage. That will double with Raphael out as long as those creatures have counters on them.</p>
<h2>Token Stratagem</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Entrapment Maneuver|pip|160"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Parallel Lives|mar|36"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hildibrand Manderville"></div></div>
<p>While we need to focus on getting Leo out first, and protecting him, we also need a good amount of token makers to enable him. Making those on our opponents' turns is even better because we can then swing with a potentially beefy board on our turn.</p>
<p>This is where cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entrapment Maneuver|pip|160" href="#" target="_blank">Entrapment Maneuver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Dispute|sld|1985" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Dispute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> shine, because they can be used outside of our turn. Sadly, Leo will only trigger once each turn, no matter how many tokens we drop in at once. That's why we leave mana open up when we can, so we can make tokens and accelerate the game plan.</p>
<p>However, having a big board of tokens will mean our opponents will be doing what they can to impede us. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boros Charm|sld|1771" href="#" target="_blank">Boros Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroic Intervention|mar|34" href="#" target="_blank">Heroic Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are among the various spells we can use to shield our permanents. Even if we're setback to the Stone Age, any given <em>TMNT</em> pairing will have enough token makers to bounce back, and this combination is no exception.</p>
<p>Even more so if we have repeatable producers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hildibrand Manderville" href="#" target="_blank">Hildibrand Manderville</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All this establishes one half of the plan, but what of the other?</p>
<h2>Counter-Offensive</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fathom Mage|fic|325"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Branching Evolution|pip|195"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Danny Pink"></div></div>
<p>Remember that Leo's trigger will buff creatures in the form of +1/+1 counters, meaning we could take advantage of them in various ways. One of these would be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fathom Mage|fic|325" href="#" target="_blank">Fathom Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will draw us a card for each counter put on it.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Danny Pink" href="#" target="_blank">Danny Pink</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bred for the Hunt|fic|321" href="#" target="_blank">Bred for the Hunt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will give more cards if our creatures hit our opponents (assuming they have counters). On another note, the more counters are placed on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arwen, Weaver of Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Arwen, Weaver of Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the bigger our creatures will be when they enter, including tokens.</p>
<p>We also have a number of creatures that could benefit from the counters. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crimson Caravaneer" href="#" target="_blank">Crimson Caravaneer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will hit harder twice, and will be more difficult to block because of trample, making us more likely to make a token to trigger Leo. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atalan Jackal" href="#" target="_blank">Atalan Jackal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, by getting big enough, will almost always guarantee some ramp.</p>
<p>In a similar vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knuckles the Echidna" href="#" target="_blank">Knuckles the Echidna</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will yield Treasures when he gets bigger. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Riders of Rohan" href="#" target="_blank">Riders of Rohan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be a consistent token maker, and those tokens will have trample and haste built into them. The bigger their numbers and buffs, the worse off our opponents are.</p>
<p>To top it off are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Branching Evolution|pip|195" href="#" target="_blank">Branching Evolution</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpsejack Menace|pip|214" href="#" target="_blank">Corpsejack Menace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which double our counters.</p>
<p>All of this (and the above section) will mean Raphael will double all the damage we'll deal. He also helps us along by creating a token when he enters.</p>
<h2>Leonardo, the Balance and Raphael, the Muscle Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Going Universes Beyond-Leo and Raph" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Leonardo, the Balance
*1 Raphael, the Muscle
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 Black Market Connections
*1 Branching Evolution
*1 Bred for the Hunt
*1 Dawn of Hope
*1 Fervent Charge
*1 Parallel Lives
*1 Squirrel Nest
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
*1 Alistair, the Brigadier
*1 Arwen, Weaver of Hope
*1 Astrid Peth
*1 Atalan Jackal
*1 Aya of Alexandria
*1 Captain Lannery Storm
*1 Corsairs of Umbar
*1 Crimson Caravaneer
*1 Danny Pink
*1 Fathom Mage
*1 Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor
*1 Hildibrand Manderville // Gentleman&#039;s Rise
*1 Knuckles the Echidna
*1 Professional Face-Breaker
*1 Riders of Rohan
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Arachnogenesis
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Atomize
*1 Beast Within
*1 Bedevil
*1 Big Score
*1 Boros Charm
*1 Break Down
*1 Crush Contraband
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Despark
*1 Endless Detour
*1 Entish Restoration
*1 Entrapment Maneuver
*1 Espers to Magicite
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Restoration Magic
*1 Secure the Wastes
*1 Stew the Coneys
*1 Stroke of Midnight
*1 Unexpected Windfall
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Nuka-Cola Vending Machine
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Staff of the Storyteller
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Austere Command
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Collective Effort
*1 Cultivate
*1 Hull Breach
*1 Nanogene Conversion
*1 Quantum Misalignment
*1 Rampant Growth
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Castle Ardenvale
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Dreamroot Cascade
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*4 Forest
*1 Haunted Ridge
*4 Island
*4 Mountain
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*1 Path of Ancestry
*4 Plains
*1 Rockfall Vale
*1 Shipwreck Marsh
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sundown Pass
*4 Swamp
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Malady
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>The Toppings</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fervent Charge|pip|215"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nanogene Conversion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Market Connections|acr|87"></div></div>
<p>The deck list above does look like a pile of hot mess (kinda the same way I see Spellslinger decks, to be honest), but hear me out. Like I said, the point is to produce tokens for Leo to get his trigger(s) going. Instant-speed token makers are very desirable for this build, so I fit in as many as I could.</p>
<p>A weakness I could see is being overly reliant on Leo, but the deck needs him to work. How do we at least mitigate this problem? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nanogene Conversion" href="#" target="_blank">Nanogene Conversion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quantum Misalignment" href="#" target="_blank">Quantum Misalignment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both work to make sure Leo gets multiple triggers, or amplify Raphael's damage doubling effect to make our board positively lethal.</p>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Market Connections|acr|87" href="#" target="_blank">Black Market Connections</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can trigger to get us a token on our upkeep, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squirrel Nest|pip|206" href="#" target="_blank">Squirrel Nest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be activated on an opponent's turn. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astrid Peth" href="#" target="_blank">Astrid Peth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is frail when she comes out, but when she gets enough counters, we could attack with her and get a token each time we do.</p>
<p>With all the historic cards, both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aya of Alexandria" href="#" target="_blank">Aya of Alexandria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alistair, the Brigadier" href="#" target="_blank">Alistair, the Brigadier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can make an army of tokens for Leo to buff in no time.</p>
<p>Speaking of attacking, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain Lannery Storm|fca|38" href="#" target="_blank">Captain Lannery Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes a Treasure token when we do so. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Staff of the Storyteller|sld|1863" href="#" target="_blank">Staff of the Storyteller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can give us a steady stream of cards if we can consistently make creature tokens.</p>
<h2>Bonds That Transcend Universes</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Helm of the Host"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tendershoot Dryad"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar"></div></div>
<p>Not too much changes when we start incorporating in-universe cards. The main thing is that we get more token doublers, and some powerful token generators that can do so each turn.</p>
<p>Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tendershoot Dryad" href="#" target="_blank">Tendershoot Dryad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Illustrious Wanderglyph" href="#" target="_blank">Illustrious Wanderglyph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> make tokens each turn, consistently triggering Leo, so we can get swinging with a big board. Token doublers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mondrak, Glory Dominus" href="#" target="_blank">Mondrak, Glory Dominus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth, Storm Slayer" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth, Storm Slayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be too good to ignore.</p>
<p>However, we have greater ability to clone/copy either of our commanders. One of the most prominent of these is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of the Host" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of the Host</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's expensive to cast and equip, but we get a token each combat. We simply have to decide where we want more counters or more damage.</p>
<p>We also gain access to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror Box" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror Box</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakashima of a Thousand Faces" href="#" target="_blank">Sakashima of a Thousand Faces</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror Gallery" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror Gallery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This trio of cards nullify the "legend rule," so we can copy our commanders as much as we like. Beware that, if these get destroyed, any legendary copies will be sacrificed via state-based effects. So, exercise some measure of caution.</p>
<h2>Retreating Into the Sewers</h2>
<p>And there you have it. This is just one possible pairing, and I look forward to see what the precon looks like. I'm willing to bet that, alongside <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroes in a Half Shell" href="#" target="_blank">Heroes in a Half Shell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the partner pairings can all work feasibly in the command zone, too.</p>
<p>At the present, I'm thinking of making a new <em>Universes Beyond</em>-only deck in person, but I haven't decided if I will carry it out or not. That said, tune in next time when I experiment...with some personal twists and a shift in my (personal) color identity. You can expect my bio to be updated soon.</p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
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