<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> | Art by <a href="https://www.cynthia-sheppard.com/">Cynthia Sheppard</a>)</h6>
<h1>One card that sends me into a blood-rage is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a>.</h1>
It's not because it's part of a two card combo. My combo rage is reserved for anything using <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrine Drake" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrine Drake</a> or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Food Chain" href="#" target="_blank">Food Chain</a>.
<div id="690-3966" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /> 
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I fly into a rage when I see <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> because it is a very political card. I love a little politics in my games, like a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tempt with Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Tempt with Discovery</a>, but the reason I can't handle the politics of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> is because most of my opponents don't recognize it's a political card.
Even if someone utters, "I'm not running the combo," it's a card that reads, "Whenever an opponent loses life, you gain that much life." That means when any of my opponents attack each other, a huge life advantage will be given to the <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> player.
We all should know what that means. We have to to eliminate the <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> or the player. This shift might not be noticed early enough, making that player gain too much life by their next turn.
If they are running <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a>, they likely are running life as a resource cards, which could be very bad for us. Waiting for a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Generous Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Generous Gift</a> or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beast Within" href="#" target="_blank">Beast Within</a> to remove the <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> might be tough even though according to EDHREC <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Generous Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Generous Gift</a> is in 637,047 of decks and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beast Within" href="#" target="_blank">Beast Within</a> is in 975,995.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Generous Gift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Beast Within"></div></div>
The easier, most relevant game action might actually be player removal. No player, no <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a>, no player with the combined life of your opponents after you eliminate them.
<h2>The Etiquette of Player Removal</h2>
When is it socially acceptable to remove a player? Some things I've noted, talking with other players:
<ul>
<li>How long a game of Commander is and how long the eliminated player will have to wait for the next game?</li>
<li>How it feels to be removed from a game before you're able to to do "the thing."</li>
<li>What is optimal for those on the back foot in a game versus the archenemy?</li>
<li>Isn't Commander supposed to be casual and fun?</li>
</ul>
This is by far no the most exhaustive list. Let us know if you've personally encountered any others.
<h3>Early Elimination</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Farewell"></div></div>
We all know it feels bad to get mana screwed or mana flooded in a game of Commander and have to basically take zero to one game actions before passing the turn.
On average, a game of "healthy" Commander is between 1 hour to 2 hours. The only thing worst than zero to 1 game actions is getting removed from the game before a board wipe like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a>.
You play for maybe 40 minutes, you lose gloriously, and then have to play on your phone or spectate a game for another hour or so while players rebuild after a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a>.
Hey, I'm not arguing that it doesn't suck. It does, but this probably divides players into two categories: Win-at-any-cost players and Fun-at-any-cost players. Some players when left with the <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> player's necessary removal will choose to remove them, while others won't for the overall enjoyment of the table.
I'm not sure which I personally prefer, but there has to be some kind of middle ground, right? The sneaky thing about <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> is that every piece of damage you deal to another player become double duty, you'll have to deal that damage again to the <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> player.
Any ounce of compassion you show, you'll pay back double.
<h3>Before Archenemy Status</h3>
It's doubly rough to remove a player when they become a threat before they become archenemy. I played a game where someone played an <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> to just keep their life total up while attacking their their three or four creature cards. They'd mentioned they'd stopped playing Magic because of how hostile and mean players could be.
They talked about the subtle bullying in the game. This put me in a pickle because I needed to eliminate the <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> and I'd used the only removal I had already (Pro-tip: don't use your removal as early as I used to, which is to say before turn five).
So I swung into them ruthlessly. They started to get a little salty, understandably, and my partner had to tell me to chill out. I sighed and agreed. It does feel like bullying to swing out everything I have on one player that isn't going to win next turn cycle. Unfortunately, other players felt the same.
We all swung at each other, putting the <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a> player from a manageable 9 life to 50. It's tough. How do I win over that kind of emotional pressure?
If you're wondering what I'd do, I'd remove the the player. If you don't want to get targeted in a game of Commander, don't play a card that puts a huge target on your back with huge obvious advantage.
This might seem harsh, but with no choice in a format with a winner, it might be the only option for a win. However, my mind and heart are at odds. Sometimes I will be compassionate, and let that player live, like in my example above.
I ALWAYS lose and regret it, but having a soft heart makes me a more fun player to have in a pod, I like to think. Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves.
<h3>Timing of Removal</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stella Lee, Wild Card"></div></div>
It also comes down to something that I don't think we talk about enough, and that's timing/context. If someone is playing a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stella Lee, Wild Card" href="#" target="_blank">Stella Lee, Wild Card</a> deck and goes from a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ponder" href="#" target="_blank">Ponder</a>, holding priority to a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystical Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Mystical Tutor</a>, you have to remove Stella Lee on the stack.
The next card cast is going to be <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twisted Fealty" href="#" target="_blank">Twisted Fealty</a> and that's going to be game. Threat Assessment tinglies should be telling you to remove or counter. It's weird though because imagine if this is the fourth time you've removed Stella Lee, imagine it's in the wake of the third board wipe.
What do we do? This is where the etiquette gets weird. We want the game to be over, but we still want to win. Do we remove the Stella Lee, do we counter the Tutor?
If you're asking what I'd do? If I can win, I'm going to try to stop Stella Lee, but if it's just removal for the sake of potentially digging into my deck for a win, then I'm not removing it. I'll shuffle up and play another, hopefully, less miserable game. Like so many players have echoed, Commander is meant to be fun.
It's not fun after tons of board wipes, extended gameplay, and a miserable crawl to win, at least for me. I don't know if casual is the right word for the game anymore even on Bracket 3-4, though.
There is a deep desire for competition even at those levels. Players fight for their wins, with optimal cards, threat assessment, politics, and interaction.
<h2>Etiquette of Targeted Removal in Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaalia of the Vast"></div></div>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a>. Yeah. 23,955 decks on EDHREC. 8th most popular commander right now. They all know, after reading the title of this section, the question I'm going to ask. How many times can I remove <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a> before I'm the mean one. Turn 4 <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avacyn, Angel of Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Avacyn, Angel of Hope</a>.
Turn 5 <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Master of Cruelties" href="#" target="_blank">Master of Cruelties</a>? I know the trigger doesn't go off with Kaalia putting it into play, but oh how are you going to remove it with Avacyn on board? You can't counter it entering. I know I'm basically ranting at this point, but the point is right there. How many times is it socially acceptable to targeted remove Kaalia before I'm the bully?
I played a game against a Kaalia player a few years ago. She was up against my <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcades, The Strategist" href="#" target="_blank">Arcades, The Strategist</a> deck, which stood no chance. The other player was playing a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mizzix of the Izmagnus" href="#" target="_blank">Mizzix of the Izmagnus</a> Control deck. You best believe Kaalia was countered, bounced, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pongify" href="#" target="_blank">Pongify</a>-ed.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pongify"></div></div>
The Kaalia player got so upset that he picked up his cards and went home mid-game, ranting that everyone comes to this shop for a fun time, not a "whatever this was".
I can understand getting upset when your commander is removed a ton of times, but maybe that's the only solution to the commander or the deck?
<h3>Amount of Targets</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Druid of Purification"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anikthea, Hand of Erebos"></div></div>
Similarly, when you <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Druid of Purification" href="#" target="_blank">Druid of Purification</a>, how many targets do you all, collectively, pick from one player? If I'm playing against an <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anikthea, Hand of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Anikthea, Hand of Erebos</a> deck or ANY artifact synergy deck, should we be picking down one player into oblivion?
How many pieces of removal should we use on one player even if they are the archenemy. I don't mean in the technical sense to secure your win. I mean, ethically. If you have tons of interaction to protect your own board state, how much of it should go into dismantling one player's board? It's tough.
I want to say that it has to be whichever brings you closer to your win, while holding back. You shouldn't spend all your removal on one player and not win: spread it out.
Don't think another player is out for the count just because they aren't going off yet. That and the table feels a little better about it. It protects against <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/salt">saltiness</a>. I'd spread it out every time, except against Anikthea or Ironman-types, but that's just me.
<h2>The Last Bit of Removal</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seal of Removal"></div></div>
So, I've been going on and on about how this might make others feel in a game of Commander. The ecosystem of a good friend group or pod of Commander comes down to the communal feeling of the group about these things.
These scenarios are conversations we should be having as we develop our play groups to see if we're a good fit for each other, or how we can better cater to our pods.
A compromise might be that Kaalia can only be removed a certain amount of times a game or she can only be played in high power tables that don't care about removing her (Gonna be honest, I don't know if either of those solutions solves the Kaalia problem, but I thought I'd give it a shot).
Either way, I'm not sure there is a one rule above all with this kind of thing, like cultural etiquette outside of card games, it depends on your playgroup to figure what's acceptable. <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-enforcing-the-mulligan-rules">For more of that in depth, check out Mike Carrozza's Column Am I the Bolas?</a> And let me know what you think at <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/strixhavendropout.bsky.social">@strixhavendropout</a> on Bluesky, we'll see you next time when we chat about the etiquette of conceding the game!

The Etiquette of Removal in Commander

At the end of last year India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, announced a bold plan to cut out black market spending and corruption. <a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/05/22/529467065/planet-money-india-demonetization">Eliminate money</a>. Not all money, but enough of the untraceable, large denomination, physical bills so the underground economy is either left exposed or starves. A wave of anti-corruption politics has swept other areas of the globe as well. Russians have gone out to<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/12/europe/russia-protests-qa/index.html"> protest</a>. Famously and humorously with rubber ducks; accusing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of having enough corruption money to buy extraneous amenities like a “duck house.” Even in the United States there has been talk since President Trump's campaign of “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drain_the_swamp">draining the swamp</a>.” These sorts of policies and protests are focused on how corruption stagnates the government and ensures political and economic inequality. I think it may be a good time to look at how these anti-corruption campaigns can influence our local meta-games and deck building.
Crafting your local meta-game is not something you can do alone. It takes patience and self-reflection for everyone involved. This is something more important when looking at a small group of friends rather than the whole of the gaming store. Largely a store's meta revolves around the mentality of the people playing, but also is shaped by the prize structure and store support. There is likely a larger variance in play styles across a whole store making consistency difficult as well. However, changing your behavior can significantly impact those around you.
&nbsp;
<h2>Absolute <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gauntlet of Power" href="#" target="_blank">Gauntlet of Power</a></h2>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7045" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Pithing-Needle.png" alt="" width="210" height="306" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7048" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Queen-Marchesa.png" alt="" width="216" height="300" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7041" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Atraxa.png" alt="" width="203" height="301" />
Transparency remains a cornerstone of preventing corruption. Corruption needs silence and shadows to thrive. Honesty and openness is important for any gaming group. Falling into secrecy and conspiracies is easy and dangerous. Helping create an environment without secret alliances and baldfaced lies makes an inclusive game, like Commander, more inclusive. Our format should be fun and casual. Maintaining this casual, open environment helps you keep more friends interested. This interest means more people, but also a thriving evolution of changing deck lists. You need some variety in what you build too. Playing that same <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a> every week will make anybody want to lobotomize theselves with their own <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pithing Needle" href="#" target="_blank">Pithing Needle</a>. Play some control, some combo, some mid-range, and for the love of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Marchesa" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Marchesa</a> please play some more aggro. Nobody will care about updating deck lists if they don't have fun playing week to week.
In deckbuilding, transparency means crafting without ulterior motives. Building for the sole purpose of taking down one player or deck is frustrating. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boil" href="#" target="_blank">Boil</a>ing away the <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talrand, Sky Summoner" href="#" target="_blank">Talrand, Sky Summoner</a>'s <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Island" href="#" target="_blank">Island</a>s gets a big red "X" on your back from the other players and likely an unfriend on Facebook from the Talrand player. This doesn't always lead to the current game being unfun for everyone, but almost never wins you the game and changes your meta into something that can quickly be awful for everyone. You really do need to have access to hate cards, but if everyone ends up with stax-esque hate lists tuned for their meta you may as well be beating your head against a wall for an hour and a half.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7042" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Breya.png" alt="" width="216" height="323" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7049" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Stony-Silence.png" alt="" width="205" height="311" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7050" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Thalia.png" alt="" width="210" height="312" />
Your meta cards need to be appropriate. I have long been an advocate of meta specific hate cards, but for your and your meta's sake the cards need to be versatile. If you want to win games your hate needs to be effective at stopping or slowing threats, but needs to be versatile enough not to be dead against anyone else. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia, Guardian of Thraben" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia, Guardian of Thraben</a> works well in many metas as hate against many different combos or unfair strategies like storm, but is rarely a totally dead draw. Designing your hate for your meta is also never cut and dry. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stony Silence" href="#" target="_blank">Stony Silence</a> because you are playing against one <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breya, Etherium Shaper" href="#" target="_blank">Breya, Etherium Shaper</a> player is not fun, but when playing against three, that is being well prepared.
Creating a system of checks and balances for your meta games can be a helpful process too. Governmental systems compartmentalize power in ways that counterbalances dishonesty and abuse of power. The process of playing commander in any sense acts much the same way. Using combined powers to take down another stronger player is common in EDH politics. There are ways you can keep the power balance in flux. Playing the same game of struggle for power with the weaker players quickly becomes stale. Imposing a deck change upon the group or even yourself can help keep things fresh. Playing only one deck is not only annoying, but creates more opportunity for targeted hate.
Laws are in place to prevent unfair practices in many cases, but in others they can breed them. There are laws with the legal system with unintended loop holes or unforeseen consequences. These can get exploited and perpetuated by corrupt officials. Cutting out these pieces of red tape creates simpler systems that are easier to manage. Creating too many rules in your play group can have the same issues. Many times adding cards that your group can't play is less fun than adjusting your play style to account for those cards. If you are getting sick of your friends playing combo all the time adjusting the amount of artifact enchantment hate you play can be all you really need. Probably better yet, don't befriend sadistic maniacs.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7047" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Prophet.png" alt="" width="206" height="298" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7046" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Primeval-Titan.png" alt="" width="205" height="297" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7043" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Griselbrand.png" alt="" width="202" height="301" />
On the other hand, even changing how the rules are played and cutting the EDH rules committee red tape can spice up your meta. Unbanning cards to be played in your meta with people you trust can be a fun way to see new decks. Changing how Commander-specific rules play can also make things fun for your group. It could be fun to see some hybrid in your mono-color decks. These last changes won't turn a bad meta into a good one, but could help keep some new ideas flowing into your group and change things up. 
&nbsp;
<h2>The Action</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Sweep the Legs" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
Queen Marchesa
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Ankle Shanker
*1 Aurelia, the Warleader
*1 Archetype of Courage
*1 Basandra, Battle Seraph
*1 Brutal Hordechief
*1 Conqureing Manticore
*1 Combat Celebrant
*1 Custodi Lich
*1 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
*1 Grand Abolisher
*1 Hanweir Garrison
*1 Iroas, God of Victory
*1 Knights of the Black Rose
*1 Master of Cruelties
*1 Mother of Runes
*1 Odric, Lunarch Marshal
*1 Olivia Voldaren
*1 Orzhov Advokist
*1 Protector of the Crown
*1 Skyline Despot
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Scourge of the Throne
*1 Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts
*1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
*1 Zealous Conscripts
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Boros Charm
*1 Mortify
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Return to Dust
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Word of Seizing
*1 Utter End
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Council&#039;s Judgment
*1 Insurrection
*1 Mass Mutiny
*1 Merciless Eviction
*1 Ritual of the Machine
*1 Vandalblast
*1 Vindicate
*1 Waves of Aggression
*1 Wrath of God
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Conqueror&#039;s Flail
*1 Darksteel Ingot
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Norn&#039;s Annex
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Anointed Procession
*1 Aggravated Assault
*1 Assemble the Legion
*1 Authority of the Consuls
*1 Blind Obedience
*1 Karmic Justice
*1 Luminarch Ascension
*1 Marchesa&#039;s Decree
*1 Phyrexian Arena
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Hanweir Battlements
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Orzhov Basilica
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Temple of Malice
*1 Temple of Silence
*1 Temple of Triumph
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Throne of the High City
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*5 Mountain
*6 Plains
*4 Swamp
[/Land]"></div> 
&nbsp;
<h2>Long Live the Queen</h2>
This <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Marchesa" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Marchesa</a> deck is a pick for what I want out of my meta. I have been having fun with aggressive decks lately because I think they offer something to politics that isn't always there. It creates a sort of boldness that you can't argue with. You have little reason for subterfuge and lies because you hold the power in any given situation. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Marchesa" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Marchesa</a> and the monarch mechanic can create situations where there are no truly stalled boards. There is always reason to attack. Many lists on her EDHREC page include <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Prision" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Prision</a> effects to keep the monarch, but I wanted to make a list that felt more active. There still similar effects in <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Norn&#039;s Annex" href="#" target="_blank">Norn&#039;s Annex</a>, but those work more to take life totals down than prevent attacks. I wanted the ability to sweep the legs out from anyone that can “Take the Crown.”
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7051" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Vindicate.png" alt="" width="217" height="316" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7044" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Mass-Mutiny.png" alt="" width="221" height="322" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-7040" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Agg-Assault.png" alt="" width="214" height="318" />
Creating perpetual aggression is based in <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Act of Treason" href="#" target="_blank">Act of Treason</a> effects like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mass Mutiny" href="#" target="_blank">Mass Mutiny</a>. Alongside <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aggravated Assault" href="#" target="_blank">Aggravated Assault</a> your cards work to keep even just a few creatures on your side attacking. If the targeted tactics of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Act of Treason" href="#" target="_blank">Act of Treason</a> effects aren't enough you have just about every <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vindicate" href="#" target="_blank">Vindicate</a> effect available to you in the Mardu colors to punch down threats and answers alike. I took out most cards that just further the length of the game. I wanted every turn to have not only this deck attacking, but others as well. Keeping this sort of aggression going, makes for a fun game. Fun games lead to healthy meta-games.
&nbsp;
<h2>The Final Clause</h2>
Thank you for reading! I'm curious what your meta looks like. What do you think makes for a healthy meta-game? What has your group done to change its meta? What sort of hate cards do you run? Also, what sort of real world politics or EDH politics would you like me to cover next?

meta

The Etiquette of Removal in Commander

EDH Political Science — Marchesa's Bully Pulpit